The Bangladesh Journal - India manages hard earned ODI victory against Bangladesh

This was the 13th ODI fifty from Dhoni, who played the most of his innings with a runner due to hamstring injury.

Chasing a challenging target of 251 in 47 overs, a crucial 107-run 6th wicket stand between Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik might have done something to calm the nerves of the Indian fans from their first-round exit in the World Cup.

Gautam Gambhir opened the innings in place of Robin Uthappa, but could not last long, as he was trapped leg before by medium pacer Syed Rasel for a quick 21 off 17 balls.

Then Virender Sehwag gave some hammering to Rasel with four boundaries in the first five balls of the seventh over.

But it was Rasel who had the last laugh. Sehwag threw his wicket to a slower ball of Rasel towards a diving Saqibul at cover scoring 30 runs off 21 balls with seven fours as scoreboard showed 56 for 2 in 7 overs.

Then the Bangladeshi boys have got some control over the next 20 overs of the match sending back three quick wickets of top order Yuvraj Singh (1), Rahul Dravid (22) and Dinesh Mongia (17), leaving India total at 144 for 5 in 28.1 overs.

Finally, it was down to two wicket-keepers, Dhoni and Karthik, to steer India home. It was not the kind of innings Dhoni is famous for, and he had to work hard for each run.

There was another scare when he survived a close run-out call on 73. Eventually, though, he kept his cool and battled till the end, remaining unbeaten on 91 off 106 balls that included seven fours to see India home with six balls to spare.

Karthik, not out on 58, also played his part well in the chase. Left-arm spinner Sakib Al Hasan and pacer Syed Rasel took two wickets each for 43 and 66 runs respectively while an expensive Shahadat Hossain Razib took the other wicket.

Earlier, Bangladesh skipper Habibul Bashar chose to bat first afte winning the toss, but rain interrupted the play for a while. The match had to be rescheduled twice — first for 49 overs and then to 47 over per side.

Bangladesh had to leave out speedster Mashrafee Bin Mortaza from the best 11 due to injury while another pacer Shahadat Hossain Razib given a chance in his place.

Opener Javed Omar’s 80 runs enabled Bangladesh to make a good start as they post 250 for 7 in reduced 47 overs.

Apart from Javed’s innings, number four Sakib Al Hasan scored 50 runs to notch his 5th ODI half-century. Besides, dashing opener Tamim Iqbal made 45 and vice captain Mohammad Ashraful, on his 100th ODI appearance, scored 29 runs to help Bangladesh make a challenging total.

Javed, who was very calm and composed from the very beginning of his innings, scored his 10th ODI fifty before being run out by Zaheer Khan for 80 off 117 balls that featured seven fours and two big sixes to take the team total to 185 for 3 in the 39th over.

Tamim, whose magical fifty had inspired Bangladesh to a spectacular five-wicket victory over India in the World Cup, launched a free flow of runs for the hosts as he along with Javed put up 78 runs in the first wicket stand.

Tamim was batting brilliantly, but had to pay the price as he tried to hit changed spinner Dinesh Mongia for six over the long on in the 17th over and was caught by Virender Sehwag for 45 off 53 balls that included six fours.

Captain Bashar moved himself up the order at number three, but could not come out from his poor form as he returned to the pavilion with a duck - a simple dismissal by off spinner Romesh Powar, caught at mid on by Gautam Gambhir.

After the departure of Bashar, Javed along with Sakib put up 107 runs in the 3rd wicket partnership before Sakib returned to the dressing room stumped by Dhoni for 50 runs playing 68 balls off a left arm spinner Dinesh Mongia delivery.

After that, Ashraful’s 29, Aftab’s 16 and Mohammad Rafique’s 11 runs helped Bangladesh to set a target of 251 runs to the Indians.

Spinner Dinesh Mongia was the pick of the visitors’ bowlers, who scalped three wickets for 49 runs in 10 overs while Powar took two for 55 runs.

Bangladesh will take the visitors in the 2nd ODI Saturday also at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.