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Team India continued their unbeaten streak in the ongoing ODI World Cup as Virat Kohli's 48th One Day International century helped hosts thrash Bangladesh by seven wickets in Pune on October 19, Thursday to record their fourth consecutive victory in the tournament.
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Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Siraj snared two wickets each to fold Bangladesh to 256/8 despite Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das' fifties. In reply, India begun the chase strongly as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill took Bangladeshi bowlers to cleaners. But after the dismissals of Rohit (48) and Shubman (53), it was Virat Kohli's one man show whose cracking century ensured India chase down the paltry total without breaking a sweat. Kohli struck a scintillating 103 off 97 balls which was studded with six fours and four sixes.
With this India recorded their fourth consecutive victory in the tournament.
Perfect start
Indian openers returned to their usual aggressive style from the very first ball of the innings. Initially, it was captain Rohit Sharma who led the charge, dispatching the bowlers with straight-batted fours. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill wasted no time in finding his rhythm. However, Hasan Mahmud ended Rohit's innings when he was caught deep at square leg after scoring 48 runs.
Kohli, the Chasemaster
Virat Kohli capitalised on two no-balls immediately, adding ten runs to his name, including a spectacular six over long-on. Shubman Gill meanwhile completed his maiden half-century in the ODI World Cup, but his innings came to an end when he was dismissed by Miraz after scoring 53 runs.
Kohli and Shreyas Iyer then stitched a valuable partnership, contributing 46 runs and keeping India ahead in the chase. However, Iyer's shot to deep mid-wicket was mistimed, resulting in his dismissal after scoring 19 runs. By this point, Virat had also reached his third half-century of the ongoing ODI World Cup.
Perfect ending
Teaming up with KL Rahul, who continued his impressive form, Kohli changed the gear and unleashed powerful shots, bringing him closer to achieving his first century of the ODI World Cup 2023. As Kohli took on the responsibility of scoring the majority of the runs towards the end, he completed his 48th ODI hundred, guiding India to a seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh.
India bowlers restrict Bangladesh to modest total
Earlier, India continued their impressive bowling form in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023, restricting Bangladesh to a modest total of 256/8.
Bangladesh faced a formidable challenge of scoring runs against arguably the best bowling attack in the competition. This trend continued when Bangladesh stepped up to the crease, attempting to muster a competitive score against India's formidable bowlers.
Bangladesh initially seemed poised for a formidable performance, boasting an impressive 90-run opening partnership without losing a wicket after 14 overs. However, India's renowned bowling prowess once again took center stage, exerting control over the game. Notably, India was without the services of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who had to leave the field due to an ankle twist.
Pandya's major injury scare
Pandya's early departure in the ninth over, after attempting to stop a straight drive off Litton Das' bat with his right foot, was a concerning moment for India. Although Pandya received initial on-field treatment, it became evident that he would not continue and subsequently left the field. The BCCI later informed that Pandya underwent scans, and there was speculation that he might be available to bat in the second innings, pending official confirmation.
In a testament to India's bowling depth and confidence in their attack, captain Rohit Sharma chose Virat Kohli to complete Pandya's over. This decision underscored India's assurance in their bowling capabilities in the ongoing World Cup.
Bowlers' day out
India's bowlers, led by Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, made crucial breakthroughs. Jadeja's exceptional performance stood out, as he contributed with both ball and fielding, recording figures of 10-0-38-2 and executing a superb diving catch to dismiss Mushfiqur Rahim.
The early part of the match belonged to the young Tanzid Hasan, who displayed remarkable skill in scoring a dazzling maiden fifty, amassing 51 runs off 43 balls, including five boundaries and three sixes. Litton Das also made a valuable contribution, scoring 66 runs off 82 balls with seven boundaries. Rahim added 38 runs to the total, while Mahmudullah's late surge of 46 runs off 36 balls, featuring three boundaries and three sixes, provided vital runs for Bangladesh.
India will next face New Zealand on Sunday, October 22 while the jolted Bangladesh will lock horns with South Africa on October 24.
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