The ODI rivalry between India and Bangladesh resumes today as the two teams will face each other in the second match of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy. The match is set to take place in Dubai, the venue for all India matches in this showpiece event. Notably, it is also hosting a 50-over international game for the first time since March 2024 and has been averse to big teams featuring in ODIs here.
Moreover, India and Bangladesh are locking horns in Dubai after six years. The stakes were higher the last time they played here as well. It was the Asia Cup final in 2018 when the two teams played each other in Dubai and India emerged victorious by just three wickets in the last-ball thriller.
Rohit Sharma was the stand-in captain then with regular skipper Virat Kohli opting to rest in the Asia Cup entirely. After opting to bowl first, India were stunned as Litton Das played an exceptional innings. He opened the innings with Mehidy Hasan Miraz adding 120 runs for the first wicket in 20.5 overs. Kedar Jadhav provided the much-needed breakthrough for India and that triggered a massive collapse.
The middle-order collapsed for Bangladesh with players like Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun and Mahmudullah accumulating only 13 runs together as Bangladesh slipped to 151/5 after being 120/0 at one stage. However, Litton was going strong at the other end and also notched up a brilliant century. However, he was also dismissed for 121 runs in the 41st over by Kuldeep Yadav when Bangladesh's hopes of posting a big total were dashed.
Das was stumped by MS Dhoni and it was a controversial decision from the third umpire with many claiming the benefit of doubt should've gone to the batter as there was no conclusive evidence proving that the batter's leg was in the air. Bangladesh were bundled out for just 222 runs in the 49th over of the innings even as Kuldeep finished with three wickets for 45 runs.
In response, India also stuttered with the pitch playing its tricks. They lacked partnerships right through and the wickets kept falling at regular intervals. It went down to the wire in the end as Bangladesh kept pegging away the wickets at crucial junctures. But India just had enough in their tank to seal the win thanks to an injured Kedar Jadhav who came out to bat injured in the penultimate over before eventually scoring a winning run through leg bye.
With the pitch expected to be on the drier side today as well, we might witness a thriller as Bangladesh, six years later, still possess a potent spin bowling line-up while India also have taken five spinners to Dubai.