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SPORTS OCTOBER 18, 2024 | The Indian Eye 44

INDIA-BANGLADESH SERIES

India take unassailable 2-0 lead in T20Is

with young guns firing on all cylinders

Rinku Singh says coach Gautam Gambhir, who worked closely with him as a mentor in

Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL, has given him freedom to play the way he wants to

OUR BUREAU
New Delhi
n the second T20Iof the series, Bangladesh won
the toss and elected to bowl first. India was re-
Iduced to 41/3 at one point, but Nitish (74 in 34
balls) and Rinku Singh (53 in 29 balls, with five fours
and three sixes) put on a match-saving stand of 108
runs. Hardik Pandya (32 in 19 balls, with two fours
and two sixes) played a fine cameo to power India
to 221/9 in their 20 overs. India has won the three-
match series 2-0.
Rishad Hossain (3/55) and Taskin Ahmed
(2/16) were the top bowlers for Bangladesh.
In the run-chase of 222 runs, Bangladesh ini-
tially kept up with the run-rate, but lost wickets
continuously. Except Mahmadullah (41 in 39 balls,
with three sixes), nobody could really play a decent
knock and Bangladesh ended with 135 on the board
with nine wickets lost. India won by 86 runs.
Varun Chakravarthy (2/19) and Nitish (2/23)
were among the top bowlers for India. Abhishek
Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar and
Riyan Parag got a wicket each.
Nitish won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for
his fine all-round show.
Following India’s win over Bangladesh in the
second T20I, batter Rinku Singh said that the ball Rinku Singh plays a shot during the second T20I match against Bangladesh at the Arun Jaitley Stadium
was gripping the surface initially and was not coming
on the bat properly. A fine all-round performance in New Delhi on Wednesday (ANI)
from Team India, particularly Nitish Kumar Reddy,
helped the Men in Blue secure an 86-run win over I am ready for every opportunity.” presented by the pitch.” Reflecting on his own per-
Bangladesh in the second T20I at Delhi’s Arun Jait- Meanwhile, Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin formance, Taskin mentioned his efforts to stick to
ley Stadium on Wednesday. Ahmed praised the Indian team’s approach and his game plan, “I just tried to execute my plan. I was
After the game in a post-match press confer- execution after Bangladesh’s T20I loss to India on clearer than the first game.”
ence, Rinku said, “When match started the ball was Wednesday. India defeated Bangladesh by 86 runs Meanwhile, former Pakistan player Basit Ali
not coming properly to the bat and once, we got the in the second T20I in Delhi on Wednesday. slammed the Pakistani team following India’s mar-
momentum we started to hit. The ball was gripping “India batted really well. They do that not only vellous performance in the second T20I of the three-
the surface but once we hit some sixes the momen- in Indian conditions but all the conditions. They bat- match series against Bangladesh at the Arun Jaitley
tum changed.” ted well till the end,” Taskin remarked in the post- Stadium here. “The thought process is very import-
Rinku said that the coach Gautam Gambhir, match press conference, emphasizing India’s adapt- ant, which is missing in Pakistani cricket. India rest-
who worked closely with him as a mentor in Kol- ability and consistent performance across various ed Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal but nobody
kata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier environments. rests in our team. So, please learn something from
League (IPL), has given him freedom to play the Speaking about Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh’s India,” Basit Ali said on his YouTube channel.
way he wants to. prominent allrounder, Taskin noted, “Shakib is al- “The kind of sixes that Nitish hit should be
“When I come out to bat, I look to score singles ways important for us but we have to accept the re- called ‘Athhe’ and not sixes. And then Rinku Singh is
and look for bad balls to hit. The team is important, ality that he is going to retire. He is important to us.” Michael Bevan after all. Gautam Gambhir’s think-
not me. The team should win the match,” elaborat- Taskin candidly assessed Bangladesh’s batting ing has been a success. I am not saying that he will
ed Rinku on his approach as a batter. performance, stating, “The wicket was good for bat- win the World Cup straight away. Even if he flops,
On the possibility of playing all three formats ting but we did not bat well to our potential. Despite Gautam won’t stop backing him because they pick
for India, Rinku, who has played both ODIs and favourable conditions, the team fell short of expec- players and make them and this is the best example
T20Is for India, said, “I see myself in all formats and tations, unable to capitalize on the opportunities of that,” the former cricketer added.

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