India asserted their dominance early in the T20 World Cup warm-up clash against Bangladesh at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. Rishabh Pant’s dynamic half-century and the fast bowlers’ relentless pace attack paved the way for India’s commanding 60-run victory.
Pant showcased his prowess as a potential starter in India’s XI, delivering a fluent fifty, while Hardik Pandya signaled his return to form with a blistering cameo, hammering three consecutive maximums off Tanvir Islam. Pandya’s aggressive 40 off 23 balls propelled India to a competitive total of 182 runs on a challenging New York pitch.
Bangladesh faced an uphill battle chasing 183 on the tricky surface. Despite a promising start from Soumya Sarkar and Tanzid Hasan, Arshdeep Singh’s crafty inswingers and the sharp bounce from Indian seamers rattled Bangladesh’s top order.
Supported by Mohammed Siraj’s economical bowling, India tightened the screws early, reducing Bangladesh to 27/3 within six overs. The pressure mounted as Bangladesh lost more wickets, struggling to accelerate the scoring rate. Despite brief resistance from Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah, Bangladesh fell significantly short, managing only 122/9 in their allotted 20 overs.
In the first innings, Pant, making a comeback for India since his car accident, starred with a commanding knock. Opening alongside Rohit Sharma, Pant led India’s charge after the early dismissals of Sharma and Sanju Samson. While Sharma and Samson started cautiously, Pandya’s aggressive approach and Pant’s fluent fifty propelled India to a formidable total.
Suryakumar Yadav also contributed with a brisk 31 off just 18 balls, while Shivam Dube provided stability before Pandya’s late flourish. Despite Mahmudullah’s economical spell, India posted a challenging 182/5 on the tricky New York pitch.
In summary, India’s dominant display with both bat and ball saw them comfortably defeat Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup warm-up encounter, setting a strong tone for their campaign ahead.
