India stayed calm under pressure to beat Bangladesh by 5 runs in a rain-shortened thriller at the Adelaide Oval. Facing a gritty Bangladesh side, the Men in Blue delivered a clinical performance that bolstered their semi-final aspirations, with Arshdeep Singh playing the hero by defending 20 runs in the dying moments of the game.
India held its nerve to secure a 5-run win over Bangladesh in a rain-curtailed last-over thriller at Adelaide Oval. Men in blue produced a clinical performance against a spirited Bangladesh side and boosted their hopes of qualifying for the semi-final. India’s young pacer Arshdeep Singh defended 20 runs in the last over to secure a memorable win.
India's batting started slowly after the early loss of Rohit Sharma for 2. However, the momentum shifted when KL Rahul rediscovered his form with a commanding half-century. Suryakumar Yadav contributed a brief 30-run cameo before Shakib Al Hasan got him out, while Virat Kohli once again excelled at the Adelaide Oval, marking his third fifty of the tournament.
With Hardik Pandya (5), Dinesh Karthik (7), and Axar Patel (7) failing to make an impact, the heavy lifting fell to Virat Kohli. He continued to push the scoring rate, ending with an unbeaten 64 to guide India to 184/6 in their 20 overs, aided by a few big hits from Ravichandran Ashwin (13*) at the end.
Bangladesh's reply began brilliantly as Litton Das charged ahead with a rapid 21-ball fifty before rain halted the proceedings. After the Super 12 match restarted, the revised target was set at 151 runs from 16 overs. Das's influential 60-run innings finally ended when KL Rahul executed a crucial direct hit.
The momentum shifted further when Mohammed Shami took the wicket of Shanto (21), who had been attempting a counter-attack. Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya then tore through the lineup, taking two wickets each in their respective overs to stifle Bangladesh. It was a comprehensive team effort from India when the stakes were highest.