Like the previous encounters India has had in the World Cup, Bangladesh faced a daunting challenge scoring runs against arguably the best bowling attack in the competition. On a batting-friendly surface, they managed a modest 256/8 on Thursday.
Despite an impressive start that had Bangladesh positioned strongly at 90 for no loss after 14 overs, India's bowling once again proved dominant, even without all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who left the field with an ankle injury.
Pandya's departure in the ninth over, as he attempted to stop a straight drive, left India without one of their key players. Though initial reports suggested he might be available to bat in the second innings, official confirmation was pending.
In the absence of Pandya, captain Rohit Sharma chose Virat Kohli to complete the injured player's over, showcasing India's confidence in their bowling attack.
Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja took crucial wickets, and Jadeja's standout performance included a remarkable 10-0-38-2 and a superb diving catch to dismiss Mushfiqur Rahim.
The initial exchanges belonged to the young Tanzid Hasan, who scored a dazzling maiden fifty with 51 off 43 balls, while Litton Das made a solid contribution with a 82-ball 66. Rahim added 38 runs, and a late charge from Mahmudullah (46 off 36 balls) boosted Bangladesh's total.
Despite some early movement from Jasprit Bumrah (2/41) with the new ball, making inroads into the Bangladesh batting lineup proved challenging. Das and Tanzid Hasan pressed on the scoring rate, with 53 runs coming off the last five overs in the powerplay.
