It was a day on which Bangladesh finally showed some heart in the series. India are still certain to wrap up proceedings not long into the third day, but the fight displayed by the visitors at least made it a something of a contest. Bangladesh triggered a collapse from India’s lower order, and then Mushfiqur Rahim put on a couple of important partnerships. It all made picking out the six defining deliveries of the day an interesting project, to say the least.
Rahane 2.0 is stopped on his tracks
61.1, Ajinkya Rahane, c Ebadat b Taijul, 51 (69)
Mushfiqur Rahim is the one batsman who can frustrate India, and he did so yet again. After Bangladesh were reduced to 13-4, there were those who wondered whether the match would be wrapped on the second day itself. But Rahim led the fight back, putting on 69 with Mahmudullah first up for the fifth wicket, and following that up with a 51-run stand with Mehidy Hassan Miraz.
Mushfiqur, when he is in the mood, is superb to watch too. This particular four came off Shami, who was struggling this innings, with the pitch offering little to no assistance, and the dew becoming a factor. It was a crunching drive square of the wicket – a shot he used routinely in the innings. The mark of a good batsman is that he capitalises on such situations, and Rahim surely did, ending the day unbeaten on 59*.
Unfortunately for him, India are still just four wickets away from victory, and chances are Bangladesh won’t be allowed to knock off the 89 runs required to make India bat again.
