And that’s me done. We’ll be back (much) later for Australia v Afghanistan with Mitch Marsh’s team having the same opportunity as India had here: sorting their semi-final slot with a game to spare. Thanks for your company today. Bye!
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INDIA WIN BY 50 RUNS!
20th over: Bangladesh 146-8 (Mahedi 5, Tanzim 1). It’s done. India are surely on their way to a semi-final next week. The only question is who will it be against?
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WICKET! Mahmadullah c Axar b Arshdeep 13 (15). Bangladesh 145-8
A short ball pulled straight down the throat of Axar. Another international wicket for Arshdeep, who has a very handy record at these World Cups. One ball to go.
19th over: Bangladesh 142-7 (Mahmadullah 12, Mahedi 4). A boundary off Bumrah! It’s to the third man rope off an edge, denying him a single-digit run concession – he finishes with 2/13. There will be no commemorative DVD of this match.
WICKET! Rishad Hossain c Rohit b Bumrah 24 (10). Bangladesh 138-7
A wee bit tougher to do it against Bumrah, as Rishad learns here when trying to pull him through midwicket and awkwardly slicing to cover. And that’s exactly how he falls to the next delivery, the miscue this time reaching the captain at cover.
18th over: Bangladesh 137-6 (Mahmadullah 11, Rishad 24). And TWO MORE from Rishad! Go you good thing! Axar gets thumped over his head twice by the young man, who is growing on me. Let them revamp this Bangladesh team in his image, I say.
17th over: Bangladesh 122-6 (Mahmadullah 9, Rishad 11). As Bangladesh reflect on their last few weeks, the biggest positives will be Tanzim Hasan with the new ball and Rishad Hossain’s leggies. Well, the latter isn’t one for giving up either – he steers Arshdeep for four then launches him over deep midwicket for SIX to end this over. It won’t count for much but it demonstrates a player who has plenty to offer at age 21.
WICKET! Jaker Ali c Kohli b Arshdeep 1 (4). Bangladesh 110-6
Slog, top edge, deep midwicket, gone. Arshdeep joins Bumrah in the book.
16th over: Bangladesh 110-5 (Mahmadullah 8, Jaker Ali 1). Jaker Ali is off the mark and keeps the strike with a flick. A wicket and two runs off Bumrah. I come back to my earlier question – who can credibly stop India? It’ll take an implosion in the semi-final or final for any other outcome than the men in blue winning this trophy.
WICKET! Shanto c Arshdeep b Bumrah 40 (32). Bangladesh 109-5
Bumrah’s back to do as Bumrah does and he’s in the book with Shanto caught at deep third having tried to slog him over deep midwicket. Arshdeep does the rest a few metres inside the rope. They’re in cruise control. Who beats them?
15th over: Bangladesh 108-4 (Shanto 40, Mahmadullah 7). What of this Bangladesh team when the tournament is done, I wonder? Mahmadullah is 36 and has a career that goes back to the late 2000s. Shakib is older still, having turned 37 a few months ago. Massive contributors, both. But is this where they move on? What’s certain: they aren’t going any further in this World Cup with India about to guarantee progress.
14th over: Bangladesh 100-4 (Shanto 39, Mahmadullah 1). Ever so close to two in two for Kuldeep when sending down a wrong’un to die for at Mahmadullah first ball – missed both the outside edge then the top of the off-stump by no more than an inch combined. 97 needed from the final six overs, which is not going to happen. Kuldeep, by the way, finishes with the superb analysis of 3/19 from four overs. Yummy.
WICKET! Shakib c Rohit b Kuldeep 11 (7). Bangladesh 98-4
Six and out for the umpteenth time today! Shakib launched his fellow left-arm spinner down the ground for a big one but miscues a slower ball outside the off-stump with the top edge ending up with Rohit at backward point – very similar to how the Indian captain himself was dismissed earlier in the match.
13th over: Bangladesh 91-3 (Shanto 37, Shakib 5). Jadeja has given them a few short balls to hit off him so far and the most is made of this one, Shanto heaving it over the midwicket rope. The over ends with a boundary too via Shakib’s outside edge but it was wide and deserved hands being thrown at it. 11 off leaving 106 in 42 balls.
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12th over: Bangladesh 80-2 (Shanto 30, Shakib 1). Kuldeep wasn’t in India’s XI for the New York leg of the tournament, when Siraj was a logical fit, but he’s impossible to keep out of a tournament being played in the Windies. What an asset. Bangladesh are trying - jumping across the crease and reversing and all the rest - but it isn’t working.
WICKET! Hridoy lbw b Kuldeep 4 (6). Bangladesh 76-3
That was never missing either, Hridoy trying to slog with the spin but missing. Umpire Gough gives it out and the technology confirms it’s hitting all of ‘em.
11th over: Bangladesh 76-2 (Shanto 27, Hridoy 4). Jadeja gallops through his second over. Shanto doesn’t miss out when the spinner misses his length, cutting a four, but we’re at the point where Bangladesh need multiple boundaries every over.
10th over: Bangladesh 67-2 (Shanto 21, Hridoy 1). At the halfway mark, Bangladesh are left with 130 to make in ten overs. It’ll take some very, very special.
WICKET! Tanzid lbw b Kuldeep 29 (31). Bangladesh 66-2
He didn’t hit it, which means one thing: three reds. Indeed, the ball tracking has this going into the middle stump, such was the movement Kuldeep generated with his googly; one of the best in the game. India barely celebrate the DRS - they knew.
TANZID GIVEN OUT LBW TO YULDEEP’S GOOGLY! He reviews. Upstairs we go.
9th over: Bangladesh 64-1 (Tanzid 28, Shanto 20). That’s better! SHANTO! Twice Hardik bumped him in the over – one pace on, one pace off - both times he’s hooked it for SIX! Can that be the start of something? Shanto has to keep going for it.
8th over: Bangladesh 50-1 (Tanzid 27, Shanto 7). Kuldeep’s turn – the third frontline spinner; what a superbly balanced attack. Try as Shanto might, he can’t land a blow here, missing a couple of times when targetting midwicket. Just three off… easy.
7th over: Bangladesh 47-1 (Tanzid 26, Shanto 5). With that power play complete, it’s the cue for Ravindra Jadeja to join the attack. Within three balls he has Shanto running at him unsuccessfully, nearly creating a stumping chance. He’s through his overs so quickly, conceding five singles in about 50 seconds. Bangladesh now require the better part of two runs per ball and I’ve no idea how they find anything like that.
6th over: Bangladesh 42-1 (Tanzid 25, Shanto 2). Bad dropped catch! Bumrah wins Tanzid’s outside edge, steered to Pant’s left side… but it bursts through his gloves, unable to take it cleanly. Frustrating as that’ll be for the big quick, he’s only gone for four runs in this over – the power play hasn’t ended with anything like a bang.
5th over: Bangladesh 38-1 (Tanzid 22, Shanto 1). 11 runs and the wicket. The new man is Shanto, a leader with a very high ceiling, but how do you approach this task?
“Hello Adam.” Afternoon, Simon McMahon. “A few weeks from now, James Anderson will no longer be an international cricketer, so there’s hope for you still regarding that call-up. You must qualify to play for England, right? Or maybe Scotland, like a modern-day Rahul Dravid.”
I’m open to any options! Had the great pleasure of touring Gibraltar with MCC earlier in the year and I saw the pride that team took in playing fully-fledged internationals, as they now do in the T20 format of the game. Alas, my Australian-British citizenship rules me out of a meaningful tilt at getting picked for, let’s say, Luxembourg.
WICKET! Das c Suryakumar b Hardik 13 (10). Bangladesh 35-1
The last thing Bangladesh needed was Litton Das to play a shocker of a shot having gotten off to a flyer. With him there’s belief… without? Banged into the pitch, he’s picked out the deep midwicket the delivery after launching a six. But a bit of pace taken off, he checked his shot with a ball pitched outside the off-stump – messy.
4th over: Bangladesh 27-0 (Das 7, Tanzid 20). Axar in the power play; such a great all-round asset. But missing his length early in the spell Tanzid goes back to pull for four. Then a top shot from Litton to finish, jumping around his crease and in front of his stumps before getting into position to sweep a second boundary. Nice start.
3rd over: Bangladesh 16-0 (Das 2, Tanzid 14). A second cut boundary for Tanzid off Arshdeep – he enjoys that width. A genuine edge later in the over, not far away from the cordon, but four more for Bangladesh it will be. Their required rate is already up towards 11, so they need to make the most of the next three overs to have a chance.
2nd over: Bangladesh 7-0 (Das 2, Tanzid 5). Bumrah from the Andy Roberts End. As Harsha Bhogle notes on telly, a great of the modern game bowling from the end of an all-timer. Nice. He’s been magnificent, as always, through this tournament, saving his best for the most challenging moments against Pakistan – what an afternoon that was. He’s all over Das when getting a look at him, beating him twice in as many balls with the second prompting an appeal but Michael Gough turns it down and they don’t use a review on it. Two off. It’s always two off when Bumrah is on.
"They're absolutely fantastic. They've got the cheat code: Jasprit Bumrah!" - @norcrosscricket
— The Final Word (@Final_Word_Pod) June 16, 2024
🇮🇳 Can India FINALLY break their hoodoo and win another ICC trophy?
They won't get a better chance than this. Surely!#T20WorldCup 🏏 | @westfieldlondon pic.twitter.com/WsLHd578U7
1st over: Bangladesh 5-0 (Das 1, Tanzid 4). I was at Adelaide Oval commentating on Bangladesh’s chase when these teams met at the 2022 T20 World Cup – it was a most unusual night. For instance, I’ve never seen the covers taken off while it was still raining but, well, yes, let’s leave it there. Litton was flying that night until we returned and was run out first ball after the delay when slipping turning for a run – funny that. My wider point is that he’s not scared of taking on India – let’s see how he goes. It’s Tanzid who has a crack first though, lifting a cut shot over point for four.
The players are back. Arshdeep has the ball, up against Litton Das and Tanzid Hassan – they are going to have to get everything right here. PLAY!
That is going to take some getting. Five Indian batters played their role but it was Hardik’s death-overs hitting that got them so close to 200. And that is exactly the innings they needed coming into the business end of the tournament. Right, I’m taking a quick breather; back with you for Bangladesh’s chase in about ten minutes.
Bangladesh set 197 to win
20th over: India 196-5 (Hardik 50, Axar 3). Mustafizur to Hardik. And he beats him off the surface… only for an edge to run away for four. Batters’ game. Singles are exchanged at this point, back to where we started with half an over to go – two out to deep cover follows, the strike staying where India wants it. OH NO! He’s overstepped! Three balls to go and a free hit, then. And for the second time in the over, an edge runs away to the third man rope, albeit this time off a low full toss. Can the ‘Fizz get out of this? He has 0/43 with two balls to go; he’s back over the wicket… it’s a wide! Going across Hardik, he misses the tram tracks by a long way. Last ball of the innings with Hardik 46 and he moves to a half-century from his 27th deliver to end the 20 overs in lovely fashion. For the third time off Mustafizur he’s down to the deep third rope, this time squeezed from a full length. A fine finish for India, giving them the fifth-highest score in this comp and this highest in T20is at the Viv Richards Stadium.
19th over: India 178-4 (Hardik 35, Axar 2). Tanzim for over 19 and fair enough – he’s earned the right with the way he’s bowled in this tournament to have this responsibility. But there’s nothing easy about bowling to Hardik when he looks to have his eye in, as he learns when a slower ball ends up in the crowd at midwicket – his third SIX. But the three dot balls, including one that goes past Axar’s edge to finish, are just as noteworthy as the big shot – eight off is a win for Bangladesh.
18th over: India 170-4 (Hardik 28, Axar 1). Shot! Rishad lands within a few inches of the block hole but Hardik is back in the crease waiting for something full and muscles it with ease over the spinners’ head for SIX more. 15 off the over and the Dube wicket.
WICKET! Dube b Rishad 34 (24). India 161-5
Misses the straight one! Dube is down low again trying to hit long with the wristspin but he’s beaten by a ball that doesn’t turn as he anticipated and it hits his middle stump in the end. For the fourth time in the innings, India lose a batter within moments of bombing a couple of sixes – all falling between 23 and 37.
17th over: India 155-4 (Dube 28, Hardik 20). So many words have been written about Dube but they’ve backed him throughout on the basis of what they’ve seen him do, and he’s making it count here too with a down-the-ground SIX off Tanzim’s slower ball. Only nine off it, but the left-hander is now building for a huge finish.
16th over: India 146-4 (Dube 20, Hardik 19). Shakib hasn’t been seen since getting Rohit, which feels an eternity ago with so much happening between times. And more occurs here with Dube finally coming to the party, down the track and smashing him over midwicket for SIX of the best. It’s the building block for an over worth 12. For Shanto, he has one over left from Shakib, from Tanzim, one from Mustafizur, and a couple from Rishad Hossain as well. This is where a captain really earns their money.
15th over: India 134-4 (Dube 10, Hardik 18). Madmadullah has done his bit, it’s now back to the senior off-spinner in Mahedi. But you have very little margin for error bowling to Hardik, as he learns here when missing his length, clubbed over long on for SIX early in the over. And just as it has been a handful of times in this innings for India, a big one is followed by a boundary, the all-rounder slapping through cover along the ground to make it ten from two. That’s better; 14 off. 180-190?
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14th over: India 120-4 (Dube 8, Hardik 6). Mustafizur, I’m reminded by the TV, was so good against Sri Lanka with a cheap 3fa defending not many, and that proved to be the decisive match in Group C. With Kohli and Pant out of the way, the energy has changed ahead of this over after his first couple went for 25. In and out of this for five singles is a very good result, ripping his fingers down the seam throughout.
13th over: India 115-4 (Dube 6, Hardik 3). I did not have Mahmudullah bowling as many overs in this tournament as he has; I thought they botched it with how they used him in a tight match against South Africa. But this has been nicely done so far – three off his first, five off his second. That gives Shanto flexibility at the death.
12th over: India 110-4 (Dube 4, Hardik 1). Rishad’s tenth wicket of the World Cup gives Bangladesh a look at Hardik Pandya, who made a timely 32 against Afghanistan.
WICKET! Pant c Tanzim b Rishad 36 (24). India 108-4
Rishad copped some tap from Kohli with his first over but he’s out of the way now. But Pant isn’t… and the left-hander is hitting with the spin. Oh have that: one hand off the bat, all the way over long-on! He’s made an art form of doing just that! Next up, the leggie drops shorter and Pant is waiting again, sweeping four more. He’s flying. Or so it seemed! A confident play, Pant switches the hands for a reverse sweep, but picks out the man at short third! Six, four, out – twists and turns at Antigua.
11.4 overs: India 108-4 (Dube 3).
11th over: India 97-3 (Pant 26, Dube 2). India’s turn to land a blow or two, specifically Rishabh Pant. He’s been hard held to this point but after a drink, the superstar crunches the first ball back, off Mustafizur no less, through cover for four – beautifully timed. Ohhh, an even better shot follows, a clip for SIX from a left-arm round the wicket offering – what he’s in this touch, anything is possible. And it puts bowlers off too, prompting a full toss later, put away for four more. 14 off the over.
10th over: India 83-3 (Pant 12, Dube 2). Mahmudullah for a few more off-breaks! And the old man of this Bangladesh side gets in and out of the over for three singles – a perfectly acceptable outcome. At the halfway mark, it might well be that the honours are now even? It feels that way after those two wickets in the busy ninth over.
“Hey.” Hi, Arul Kanhere. “Thank you for the OBO....I’m an old follower. Ravi Shastri on comms: ‘Pant will think twice before going against that breeze over midwicket. Pant does exactly that. Why do we even try to underestimate the man?”
Pant does what most can’t and backs himself relentlessly. A joy to have him back.
9th over: India 80-3 (Pant 10, Dube 1). The old Boycott-ism about adding two wickets to the score? Yep, that. Even in T20. Pant and Dube, who has been far from convincing, now have a job to do with India’s Big Three all dismissed before halfway.
WICKET! Suryakumar c Litton Das b Tanzim 6 (2). India 77-3
Six and out! Bangladesh go bang, bang! SKY hooked his first ball, a bumper, over fine leg – thanks for that, pal. But the next ball, back of a length, he tried to glide to deep third but instead placed into the gloves of the wicketkeeper Das. There’s barely appeal but the bowler, batter, ‘keeper and umpire all know it was edged. Game on?!
WICKET! Kohli b Tanzim 37 (28). India 71-2
Knocked over by one that comes back just enough! Not reading it, Kohli lost his shape and then his middle stump! Bangladesh’s best bowler over the last fortnight has himself the biggest wicket at a critical time for his side.
8th over: India 71-1 (Kohli 37, Pant 9). Rishad Hossain’s leggies have been a majoer asset for Bangladesh throughout the middle over periods and he’s on now to start his work. After missing down the legside with his first ball, Kohli, realising there was a moment to make a statement, went straight back over his head for SIX! Welcome to the bowling crease – seven from one ball, Kohli sizing you up, not fun. Ooh, to his credit, later in the over he beat him with a beauty – what they would’ve given for a little feather there! Pant’s back to finish and shovels a boundary past square leg. The Indian No3 is far from fluent but so far but he’s still there and that shot will help.
7th over: India 56-1 (Kohli 29, Pant 4). Mahedi is the man they wanted up top instead of Taskin and he’s done a job here with a second of his overs going for just three singles. He has 0/14 from three and they might as well bowl him out in the ninth.
6th over: India 53-1 (Kohli 27, Pant 3). Mustafizur’s overs will be used very carefully and the first is now – the final set of the power play. Both Kohli and Pant have seen plenty of this skillful operator over the years in the IPL and play him with the respect he deserves to begin. But Kohli then picks the right moment for a ball that’s pitched up, waiting and launching over midwicket for SIX! What a lovely way to end the power play. Rohit spoke about 150 at the toss… that might be a bit of an understatement if Kohli can stay in this zone when the field goes back.
5th over: India 42-1 (Kohli 17, Pant 2). Just three singles from Mahedi’s second over, which makes three runs from the last nine deliveries including a wicket. Bangladesh have to now make the most of this and jag themselves another in this power play.
4th over: India 39-1 (Kohli 16, Pant 0). Pant is our new man and absorbs a couple of dots to begin his innings. The fact that Rohit took Shakib for a gigantic six over long-on earlier in the over, followed by a cut four, make his dismissal all the more timely.
WICKET! Rohit c Jaker Ali b Shakib 23 (11). India 39-1
Shakib gets Rohit! He tries to take him on against the spin but miscues with a fat top edge, which ends up at backward point. Gosh, how the Tigers needed that.
3rd over: India 29-0 (Rohit 13, Kohli 16). Tanzim Hasan Shakib was a revelation in the group stage, taking consistent wickets in the power play – often at serious pace. He’s only going at five an over in the tournament as well. They need him to transfer some pressure back right away here but it doesn’t happen when feeding Kohli on leg stump, clipped away for his third boundary. Only six off, though. Good result.
@collinsadam fun fact, Bangladesh’s national anthem was written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1905 and Indian National anthem was also written by Rabindranath Tagore not sure if y’all were aware about it.
— Gaurav Desai (@gauravndesai) June 22, 2024
2nd over: India 23-0 (Rohit 12, Kohli 11). Spin to win? Shakib to bowl over number two – they’re all-in with this approach. Rohit sweeps for a second time, on this occasion nailing it forward of square for his second boundary. Kohli’s turn later in the over and he comes down the track to a ball angled in at leg stump, whipping it for SIX over midwicket! The perfect scenario for India today is not only winning the game but getting Kohli back in the runs along the way. 15 off the over – this pair are away.
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1st over: India 8-0 (Rohit 7, Kohli 1). Mahedi does Rohit in flight first ball but he attacks it anyway with the field up, clearing the man at mid-off for a couple. Third ball he makes room to slap but he’s followed by an off-break, giving Kohli the strike with a single down the ground. He takes his tournament runs tally to 30 with a single from his second delivery, albeit not before a moment of indecision - but they’re through. Last ball here and Rohit sweeps, top-edging over the ‘keeper for four.
The players are on the field! Rohit and Kohli. Mahedi Hasan, the offspinner, is taking the first over! A fascinating plan they’re going with here. Alright… PLAY!
It’s a shame we lost the tiny little ball car for the Euros, but at least we have the ball truck for this tournament. It’s on the way out to the middle now, with the players, for the national anthems. I was at Bangladesh/South Africa on Long Island last week and got to hear the Bangladesh crowd giving it everything during their anthem. But, for obvious reasons*, they don’t have anything like that support today in Antigua.
*Antigua is tiny, New York is not.
I missed the bit where Rohit said at the toss India were going to bat. I’ve made this point before: if I were an international cricket captain (available if selected!), I would always say at the toss I was going to do whatever I was asked to do upon losing it.
Ian Chappell: "Righto, you’ve lost the toss at the Gabba, it’s 44 degrees and you’re going to be in the field on a road. How do you feel about that mighty task?”
Me: “Yeah good as gold, we were going to have a bowl anyway – no dramas mate.”
This group is pretty chilled out. Provided India and Australia win today, against Bangladesh and Afghanistan respectively, they are both through and their clash two days from now would become a dead rubber. But it’s far less clear on the other side of the draw. South Africa, who have won both of their Super 8s games, are actually in the death spot due to the busy work of the Windies overnight. To get a handle on all of that, tune into Daniel Norcross’ analysis overnight on The Final Word pod.
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das (wk), Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman
It’s off-spinner Mehedi coming in for Taskin… that’s a huge call.
Bangladesh have won the toss, they will bowl first
Per my preamble, this is what Bangladesh needed. They’ve made one change, leaving out Taskin! Surely that’s because of injury rather than omission or team balance? Rohit says they need to assess the surface as quickly as possible before getting on with it. They are unchanged from the side that defeated Afghanistan.
Preamble
This looks a mismatch. India have seldom needed their top gear during this tournament but it’s clear that it is a very impressive one. As for Bangladesh, after advancing from the weakest group they were bullied by Australia two days ago to begin their Super 8s campaign. If the favourites salute in this Saturday morning fixture in Antigua, it will guarantee that the boys in blue are semi-final bound.
Bangladesh’s progress to the second stage of this World Cup was earned in large part by their lively and capable fast bowling trio: Tanzim Hasan Shakib, Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman. Their best chance here is to bowl first and put Kohli and co under pressure. Under almost any other scenario, the Tigers need a lot to go right.
Toss 3pm BST, first ball 3.30pm.
