That’s it for our coverage from the Super 8s match between India and Bangladesh

India registered their fifth consecutive win of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, this time by a comprehensive margin of 50 runs.

The men in blue started off agressively and never took their foot off the pedal. They were willing to take on the Bangladesh bowlers despite losing wickets in a bunch and it really paid off. The most balls faced by an Indian in the innings was 28 by Virat Kohli. It pretty much sums up how well rounded that batting effort was!

Later in the chase, it was the Kuldeep Yadav show as she spun a web around the Bangladeshi batters with his left-arm wrist spin. He was ably supported by Jasprit Bumrah, who once again as the most economical bowler.

The win takes India to the top of the Group 1 points table. A win for Australia in the next match against Afghanistan on Sunday i.e. tomorrow, will also but ensure Rohit Sharma and co a spot in the semi-finals!

The Group 1 Super 8s standings

“We know what is expected out of us, and what we need to do, and how we need to play as well. We adapted to the conditions, there is a bit of a wind that you need to take into account, and we were smart with the bat, and used the conditions well with the ball too. All the eight batters need to play their role. Our top score was 50, and we still got 196. In T20s you don’t need fifties and hundreds, what matters is the pressure you put on the bowlers. That’s how we want to play, that is how we want to encourage ourselves to play going forward as well.

“Hardik batting well, the way he did today, puts us in a very good state, because we wanted to finish off well after the top five set up the platform. We all know what he can do. He’s a very important player for us”

— Indian captain Rohit Sharma

“We were thinking about 160-170, that would have been good for us, but the way they batted, credit goes to them [India]. We are used to this kind of weather and wind so I do not think that was an issue. We had a lot of batting options, but we did not show the intent we needed in the first six overs.”

— Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto

“I think we’ve played really good cricket, we’ve stuck together and really executed our plans. Different players have stepped up in different situations. I did realise batters wanted to use the breeze. Just made sure I didn’t give them free hits where the wind was blowing, it was about being one step ahead of the batter [while bowling]. For me, I’ve always been very fortunate to play for the country. It was a freak injury which happened [2023 World Cup]. I tried to come back, but god had some other plans. The other day, I was speaking to Rahul [Dravid] sir, and he said luck comes to people who work hard. That has stuck with me, and I just want to keep my head down and keep working hard.”

— Hardik Pandya after receiving his Player of the match award

Hardik Pandya has been named the player of the match for his unbeaten 50 off 27 and bowling figures of 1-32 in three overs.

Quite a redemption arc this for Pandya, who had to miss the 2023 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with an injury after injuring his ankle in the match against Bangladesh then.

India bowling scorecard

BAN: 146/8 (20 overs): Tanzim Sakib manages a single off the final delivery. India have beaten Bangladesh rather comfortably. They win by 50 runs to go to the top of Group 1.

BAN: 145/8 (19.5 overs): A short ball from Arshdeep Singh and Mahmudullah pulls it to backward square leg, where Axar Patel picks up a good catch.

BAN: 142/7 (19 overs): Another match, another mach winning miserly spell from Jasprit Bumrah. Just the usual. He finishes his quota of four overs with figures of 2-13.

Bangladesh need 55 off 6 deliveries

BAN: 138/7 (18.3 overs): Rishad Hossain’s cameo comes to an end. Hits Jasprit Bumrah straight to Rohit Sharma at covers. He falls for 24 off just 10.

BAN: 137/6 (18 overs): Rishad Hossain is turning up the heat now. Three sixes and a boundary in the eight deliveries he has faced so far. But it surely is too late for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh need 60 off 12 deliveries.

BAN: 110/6 (16.1 overs): Bangladesh have completely lost the plot now. Jaker Ali comes in and he walks back. A good slower ball from Arshdeep Singh and Ali loses one hand off the bat as he looks to swing big. He is caught in the deep by Virat Kohli.

BAN: 110/5 (16 overs): An excellent over from Bumrah. Just two runs and the wicket of a well-set s Shanto.

Bangladesh need 87 off 24 deliveries.

BAN: 109/5 (15.3 overs): After being denied early on with a dropped catch, Jasprit Bumrah finally gets on to the wicket column. Najmul Shanto is decieved by the slower ball as he looks for a big hit and can only manage to edge it to Arshdeep Singh at thirdman.

BAN: 100/4 (14 overs): An excellent spell from Kuldeep Yadav and he has almost sealed the fate of this match. Finishes with figures of 3-19 in four overs.

Bangladesh need 97 off 36 deliveries.

BAN: 98/4 (13.3 overs): Third wicket for Kuldeep Yadav and it is the experienced Shakib al Hasan, who falls. The left-hander had just smashed Yadav for a six down the ground, looks to replicate it but gets nowhere close to the pitch of the ball. Slices it to Rohit Sharma in the off-side.

Najmul Shanto is waging a lone battle for Bangladesh.

BAN: 80/3 (12): A good over from Kuldeep. A wicket and just four runs off it. His figures currently reads 3-0-10-2.

Bangladesh need 117 off 48 deliveries.

BAN: 76/3 (11.1 overs): Kuldeep Yadav is on a roll. Traps Towhid Hridoy, who was looking for a big slog, leg before wicket. Like Hasan, Hridoy too opts for a review and is proven wrong. Bangladesh are now out of reviews.

BAN: 67/2 (10 overs): Kuldeep Yadav traps Tanzid Hasan leg before wicket. The opener asks for a review and loses it as well – it was three reds on the ball tracker. In the previous over, Pandya was hit for two sixes by Najmul Shanto to keep Bangladesh in the hunt.

BAN: 50/1 (8 overs): Excellent stuff this from India. They have completely dried up the run flow with two tight overs from Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. The pressure is building on Bangladesh and a wicket might be just around the corner.

BAN: 43/1 (6 overs): Tanzid Hasan dropped by Rishabh Pant off Jasprit Bumarh. He was taken aback by the pace there was the wicketkeeper. Nonetheless an excellent over from Bumrah to close off the powerplay, only four off it.

BAN: 35/1 (4.3 overs): Hardik Pandya comes into the attack and he strikes rightaway. Litton Das pulls the bowler for a six, before playing a half-hearted shot towards the leg side next. Suryakumar Yadav runs in from deep midwicket and takes a good catch.

BAN: 27/0 (4 overs): Tanzid Hasan on the charge as he hits Arshdeep Singh for two boundaries before finding one off Axar Patel as well. Litton Das, too, finds a boundary off his own against Patel as Bangladesh look to keep the scoreboard moving.

BAN: 7/0 (2 overs): A good start from the Indian bowlers. Arshdeep Singh concedes a boundary square of the wicket to Tanzid Hasan, but Jasprit Bumrah concedes just two from the other end.

We are back for the chase. Arshdeep Singh will start the proceedings for India, while Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan are the two openers for Bangladesh.

“The wicket looked alright, the par would have been 180, but we got 197 I think that is like a good score here. Hopefully with our bowling line-up, with a little bit of consistency, we will be able to do well. It tends to get slower towards the end, discipline and good bowling will be crucial.”

— Hardik Pandya in the innings break

An excellent batting display this from India. They took the aggressive route right from the start and have been rewarded with a score well above par in Antigua. Bangladesh had their moment as well with Tanzim Hasan Sakib striking twice in the ninth over to remove Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav within a span of three balls, but that’s all which went their way.

Rishabh Pant and Shivam Dube chipped in with impactful 30s, and Pandya ensured that he stayed at the crease till the end.

IND: 196/5 (20): Hardik Pandya slices the final ball of the innings over short thirdman to bring up a half-century off 27 deliveries. India have posted 196/5 – the highest T20 score on this ground.

IND: 170/5 (18): Hardik Pandya continues his onslaught from the other end. Deposits a full delivery from Rishad Hossain straight over the long on boundary. He has Axar Patel for company. Can the duo take India past 200?

IND: 161/5 (17.2 overs): Shivam Dube falls for a 24-ball 34. He slots a short delivery from Rishad Hossain over the midwicket boundary, the spinner tosses up the next delivery as well – but this time on the stumps. Dube looks for a big slog once again, and misses to have his stumps shattered. Second wicket of the evening for Hossain as he breaks the 53-run fifth wicket stand.

IND: 146/4 (16 overs): India are on the charge now. Hardik Pandya hits Mahedi Hasan for a six and a boundary to covers, while Shivam Dube finds his first boundary of the evening – a six over midwicket off Shakib al Hasan.

With four overs left, how much more can India add?

IND: 120/4 (14 overs): Two tidy overs from Mahmudullah and Mustafizur Rahman and India have gone into a shell since Pant’s wicket. Dube is batting on 8 off 12 and needs to get a move on.

IND: 110/4 (12 overs): Rishabh Pant falls, just when he had started to accelerate. Tries a reverse sweep off Rishad Hossain and is caught at short fineleg. Pant had just carted Mustafizur Rahman for two boundaries and a six in the previous over.

Hardik Pandya joins Shivam Dube in the middle.

IND: 83/3 (10 overs): Good comeback from Bangladesh in the last couple of overs. Mahmudullah backs up Tanzim’s double strike with a tight three-run over. Rishabh Pant has fellow left-handed batter Shivam Dube for company as India looks to rebuild.

IND: 77/3 (8.3 overs): Suryakumar Yadav FALLS! The world No 1 T20I batter starts off with a first-ball six off a bouncer, but falls with the next delivery. Back of the length outside off from Tanzim, but there’s a bit of extra bounce. SKY, looking to guide it down to thirdman, edges it behind to the wicketkeeper. Brilliant fightback from Bangladesh, this.

IND: 71/2 (8.1 overs): HUGEEE WICKET FOR BANGLADESH! Virat Kohli, who was looking in a dangerous touch falls. The former Indian captain steps down the crease looking to take on pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib, but misses it completely. The stumps are shattered. Kohli walks back for 37.

IND: 71/1 (8 overs): Another tight over from Mahedi Hasan, but India continue to attack from the other end. A six straight down the ground from Kohli off Rishad Hossain before Pant finds a boundary towards midwicket as the leg spinner leaks 15 off his first over.

IND: 53/1 (6 overs): A good fifth over from Mahedi Hasan and the pressure seemed to be building on India. But Virat Kohli just slogs Mustafizur Rahman for a big six over midwicket to close off the powerplay. That went 94m. HUGEEE!

IND: 39/1 (4 overs): Rohit Sharma takes a liking to Shakib al Hasan in the fourth over. He dances down the track to hit the left-arm spinner for a massive six before procuring a boundary with a deft touch. He looks for one more big hit, but ends up miscuing it and Jaker Ali takes a good catch at mid-off. 50th T20 World Cup wicket for the Bangladesh veteran.

Rishabh Pant joins Kohli in the middle.

IND: 23/0 (2 overs): A very good start for India and both the openers look in good touch. Rohit Sharma first top edges Mahedi Hasan for a boundary, before nailing a sweep off Shakib al Hasan in the second over. Virat Kohli, meanwhile, lofts Shakib over long on for the first six off the match. The ploy to start with spinners from both ends has not really worked out for Bangladesh.

We are all set!

Both teams are out in the middle for the mandatory national anthems. We will get underway in a few minutes. Stay tuned!

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have struggled in the tournament so far and Mustafizur Rahman won’t make it easy for the duo today.

Toss update: Bangladesh have won the toss and opted to field first. Rohit Sharma stresses that he would have batted first anyways. No changes for the men in blue, while Taskin Ahmed misses out for Bangladesh.

Hello and welcome to Scroll’s coverage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup!

Having enjoyed an unbeaten run in the World Cup so far, the Indian team is all set to take on neighbours Bangladesh in Antigua, in what is their second and penultimate Super 8s clash.

Despite their flawless run in the United States and the Caribbean islands, India do have some problems to address. Their opening combination of captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have struggled for runs. While the former had scored a half-century in India’s opening match against Ireland before dropping off drastically, the latter has scored a grand total of 28 runs in four matches.

Shivam Dube, who was drafted into the squad after a stellar IPL as a spin hitter, will also be under scrutiny.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, enter this contest on the back of a loss to Australia. They have run India close in their previous T20 World Cup meetings but a 0-4 head-to-head record against the Sharma-led team does not paint a good picture for Bangladesh.

Squads

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Screenshots via Disney+Hotstar