India beat Bangladesh by five runs in a rain-curtailed match

In a dramatic match, India comes out on top. And they have to appreciate their fielding – particularly KL – as well as the rain for assisting them with this one.

When Litton Das went hammer and tongs, Bangladesh had complete control of the game. They were 66 for no loss when the rain came down, and they were 17 ahead on DLS par at the time.

They would have won if the rain had stayed put. But after the rain, everything changed.

On the first ball, Das fell while going back for a second, and if that wasn’t enough of a warning, on the following ball, he stumbled while coming back for a second and was run-out by a direct hit from KL.

That proved to be the game-changing moment, as the much-maligned Indian fielding performed admirably on the night. From that point on, Bangladesh skied everything up, and India caught them all.

There was a late suggestion of a heist from Nurul Hasan and Taskin Ahmed, but Hardik in the penultimate over and Arshdeep Singh in the final over held their nerve to ensure India didn’t lose, which would’ve been practically deadly in terms of the semi-final race.

This was a game they could have won, and they will be deeply heartbroken to see a potential semi-final position slip away right in front of their eyes. For India, a major embarrassment was avoided, and they are on pace to reach the semi-finals and possibly even top the group if South Africa falters.

Hardik, DK, and Axar all fell for single digits as they sought early runs, but Kohli stayed on, anchored the innings, and then opened up near the end.

“Pretty close game. Not as close as we would have liked it to be. A good day with the bat. When I went in there was a bit of pressure. I didn’t want little mistakes to curb my instincts. I am in a happy place. I don’t want to compare it with the past,” said Player of the match, Virat Kohli.

“As soon as I knew the WC is in Australia, I was grinning from ear to ear. Good cricketing shots will be the key here is what I know. Hitting through the line is what I do in every format. It is just an extension for me. I love playing at this ground. This makes me feel at home. When I come to Adelaide, I am meant to enjoy myself and keep batting,” he added.