Thumps Bangladesh by 133 runs in final T20I

Having won the opening two T20I’s in the three match series against Bangladesh by seven wickets and 86 runs earlier , Team India continued its domination over its Asian rivals with a massive 133 runs victory in the final T20I at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on Saturday night. In the process the reigning T20 World Cup champions registered a 3-0 clean sweep in the T20I bilateral series, while adding to its earlier success in the two match Test series against Bangladesh.

Electing to bat first, India posted a massive score of 297 for 6 in 20 overs, their highest in the shorter format of the white ball cricket and the second-best total by any team in T20I history, it is the biggest score by any Test-playing nation.

Having lost Abhishek Sharma early on, India’s  wicket keeper Sanju Samson (111 off 47 balls) and captain Suryakumar Yadav (75 off 35 balls) showed respect for the rival bowlers and put on a solid 173-run partnership off mere 69 balls. Sanju in the process hit 11 boundaries and eight sixes, including five maximum in the 10th over, which off Rishad Hossain, while reaching the triple figure mark in 40 balls, before being dismissed by left arm experienced bowler Mustafizur Rahman in the 14^th over.  Suryakumar too fell five balls later. Hardik Pandya (47 off 18) and Riyan Parag (34 off 13) later scored at a brisk pace to ensure a mammoth total on the board. Tanzim Hasan Sakib picked up three wickets but conceded 66 runs in 4 overs. In reply, Bangladesh were restricted to 164 for 7 in 20 overs after Parvez Hossain Emon dismissed for a golden duck by express pacer Mayank Yadav in the very first ball of the second innings. Despite Towhid Hridoy unbeaten 63 and wicketkeeper batter Litton Das's brisk 42, Bangladesh were never in contention. Leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi was India's standout bowler, claiming 3 wickets for 30 runs in 4 overs, choking the Bangladesh middle order.

Sanju Samson, who hit his maiden century in 34 innings was named the Player Of The Match and after the match said, “Our dressing room is full of positive energy, and I’m happy the team is celebrating my success. It can be frustrating at times, knowing what you're capable of, and I've always felt I could do more. But with experience, I’ve learned to handle pressure and deal with failures since I’ve faced them a lot.My focus was on sticking to the process and trusting that I’d perform. There’s always pressure when playing for your country, but I wanted to deliver. I kept things simple, taking it one ball at a time. The leadership has shown immense faith in me, not just with words but through their actions as well." 

Hardik Pandya, Player Of The Series on the other hand added, “The freedom the skipper and coach have given us is really benefiting everyone in the team. It’s allowing us to bring out the best in each other. When you enjoy each other’s success, it creates a hunger to do even more. Physically, I’m feeling good, and I’m grateful for that. That shot over covers, off the back foot, was just a chip that cleared the ropes—one of my favourites because it’s not something you pull off every day."

Najmul Hossain Shanto, losing Bangladesh Captain said, “ We didn’t play our best cricket today. We didn’t execute our batting plans, and with the ball, we were good in patches but overall didn’t bowl well enough.We need to believe in ourselves, and the players have to keep working on their game. I thought Hridoy batted well today, and the seamers executed their plans nicely. However, the top-order batsmen really need to improve” 

An elated Suryakumar Yadav, India Captain, whose team won the series comprehensively said,  “I think we've achieved a lot as a team. I had mentioned that we wanted to build a team of selfless cricketers, and we’re seeing that happen, with everyone enjoying each other’s performances. The camaraderie is really showing. As Gauti bhai said before the series, no one is bigger than the team—whether you're on 49 or 99, you still have to go for the big shot. That's exactly what Sanju did today.We need to stay flexible with both batting and bowling, and it’s great to see bowlers stepping up when needed and batters being adaptable. Their performances were commendable. In terms of improvement, we just need to keep up the good habits on the field and remain consistent."

Brief Scores (3rdm and final T20I): India – 297 for 6 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 111, Suryakumar Yadav 75; Tanzim Hasan 3/ 66, Mahmudullah 1/26) beat Bangladesh - 164 for 7 in 20 overs (Towhid Hridoy 63*, Litton Das 42; Ravi Bishnoi 3/30, Mayank Yadav 2/32) by 133 runs.