RAJKOT: India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal claimed two key wickets in one over to help restrict Bangladesh to 153 for six in the second Twenty20 International in Rajkot on Thursday.

Chahal returned figures of 2-28 after the hosts elected to bowl first in their bid to level the three-match series following their opening loss.

Bangladesh made a flying start with Liton Das (29 off 21 balls) and Mohammad Naim, the top scorer with a 31-ball 36, putting together 60 runs for the opening wicket in just 7.1 overs.

Liton benefited from a pair of reprieves including a stumping chance as a no-ball was called after wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant collected the ball in front of the stumps.

Liton was finally run out by a direct throw from Pant while trying to steal a single after missing a googly from Chahal.

Chahal then struck twice in his third over with the wickets of first-match hero Mushfiqur Rahim, for four, and Soumya Sarkar, for a 20-ball 30, as the tourists slipped to 103 for four.

Bangladesh lost two more wickets including skipper Mahmudullah for 30 (from 21 deliveries) in the last five overs that resulted in 41 runs.

India skipper Rohit Sharma, playing his 100th T20 International, said at the toss: “Rajkot’s always been a good track despite some cracks. Think there may be dew later, so life will be easier for the batsmen.”

Bangladesh also retained their winning XI from the first game, with Mahmudullah saying the Rajkot fixture was a ‘good opportunity’ to clinch the series.

“I would have loved to bowl first too but now will want to put some runs on the board,” said Mahmudullah. “It’s a good opportunity for all of us [to win the series]. Important for the senior players to do well. Even the youngsters have done well.”

Scoreboard

BANGLADESH:

Liton Das run out 29
Mohammad Naim c Iyer b Sundar 36
Soumya Sarkar st Pant b Chahal 30
Mushfiqur Rahim c Pandya b Chahal 4
Mahmudullah c Dube b Chahar 30
Afif Hossain c Sharma b Khaleel 6
Mosaddek Hossain not out 7
Aminul Islam not out 5

EXTRAS (1B-2, W-3, NB-1) 6

TOTAL (for six wkts, 20 overs) 153

FALL OF WKTS: 1-60, 2-83, 3-97, 4-103, 5-128, 6-142.

DID NOT BAT: Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Al-Amin Hossain.

BOWLING: Chahar 4-0-25-1; Khaleel Ahmed 4-0-44-1; Washington Sundar 4-0-25-1; Chahal 4-0-28-2 (1nb0; Dube 2-0-12-0; Pandya 2-0-17-0 (3w).

INDIA: R.G. Sharma, S. Dhawan, K.L. Rahul, S.S. Iyer, R.R. Pant, S. Dube, K.H. Pandya, Washington Sundar, Y.S. Chahal, D.T. Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed.

UMPIRES: C. Shamshuddin (India0 and N.N. Menon (India).

TV UMPIRE: A.K. Chaudhary (India).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2019