India vs Bangladesh 2nd T20I: Rohit Sharma’s fifty steals show as India level series

India's T20 captain Rohit Sharma (R) raises his bat after he completed his half century (50 runs) as teammate Shikhar Dhawan (L) looks on during the second T20 international cricket match of a three-match series between Bangladesh and India at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on November 7, 2019. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)


India defeated Bangladesh by 8 wickets in the second T20I on Thursday to level the three-match series 1-1.

Riding on 85 from skipper Rohit Sharma, India chased down the 154-run target with 26 balls to spare. Rohit took only 43 balls for his innings which was laced with 6 boundaries and as many sixes.

Earlier, Rohit had won the toss and had decided to bowl at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.

Liton Das and Mohammad Naim stitched 60 runs for the opening wicket in 7.1 overs before the former was run out by Rishabh Pant on his individual score of 29. Later, Naim fell to Washington Sundar after scoring 36 runs.

Wickets fell at regular intervals for Bangladesh and this deprived them of a big total. Though Soumya Sarkar (30 off 20 balls) and Mahmudullah (30 off 21) played handy knocks, the Bangla Tigers had to remain contented with 153 for 6 in the stipulated 20 overs.

Yuzvendra Chahal was the pick of the bowlers for India. He took 2 crucial wickets of Sarkar and Mushfiqur Rahim and conceded 28 runs in his 4 overs.

Fast bowler Deepak Chahar was also decent with the ball and returned figures of 1 for 25 in 4 overs.

Meanwhile, Khaleel Ahmed had a bad day on the ground as the 21-year-old conceded 44 runs in 4 overs and got the only wicket of Afif Hossain (6).

However, India eased past the target as the stellar show from Rohit made the match a one-sided affair.

Rohit along with Shikhar Dhawan shared an opening stand of 118 runs in 10.4 overs before the latter fell to Aminul Islam after scoring 31 runs.

Rohit continued butchering the Bangladeshi bowlers before getting out on the ball of Aminul. However, after the skipper’s wicket, win for India was only a matter of time.

The two teams meet next for the third and final T20I at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on November 10.