Last Over Drama in Colombo as Bangladesh Stun India by 6 Runs in Asia Cup Clash

With India already securing a place in the final and Bangladesh out of contention, the game might have seemed like a dead rubber on paper. Yet, both teams turned it into a thrilling contest for the fans. The match went right down to the last over, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats.

India vs Bangladesh: 2023 Asia Cup

On September 15, 2023, under the floodlights at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium, Bangladesh took on India in a gripping Asia Cup Super Four match. India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, won the toss and chose to bowl, hoping to make early inroads with the new ball. Bangladesh faced a tough start but battled through, posting a competitive 265 for 8 in their 50 overs, thanks to a captain’s masterclass and a late surge from the lower order. The innings began with a jolt for Bangladesh.

Opener Litton Das faced just two balls before edging Mohammed Shami to the keeper for a duck, leaving the score at 13 for 1 in the second over. Tanzid Hasan, full of energy, struck three boundaries in his quick 13 off 12 balls, but Shardul Thakur bowled him in the fourth over, rattling the stumps. Anamul Haque, coming in at number three, found it hard to settle. He scratched around for 4 runs off 11 balls before Thakur got him caught behind by KL Rahul. By the sixth over, Bangladesh were 28 for 3, struggling in the first powerplay, where they managed 44 runs but lost three key wickets. The early damage put them on the back foot against India’s fiery pace attack.

Shakib Al Hasan, the seasoned captain, walked out with his team in trouble. He paired up with Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and the two carefully added 31 runs for the fourth wicket. Mehidy played a steady 13 off 28 balls, but his stay ended in the 14th over when he edged Axar Patel to Rohit Sharma at slip, leaving Bangladesh at 59 for 4. The situation looked grim, and Bangladesh needed someone to take charge.

Shakib rose to the occasion, finding a solid partner in Towhid Hridoy. Together, they built a crucial 101-run partnership for the fifth wicket, turning the tide. Shakib played with calm aggression, hitting six fours and three sixes in his 80 off 85 balls. He reached his fifty in 65 balls, guiding his team with experience. Hridoy played a mature 54 off 81 balls, striking five fours and two sixes, and reached his half-century in 77 balls. Their stand took Bangladesh past 100 in the 24th over, giving them a platform to build on.

The momentum shifted in the 33rd over when Shakib, looking to push on, was caught off Thakur for 80, breaking the partnership at 160 for 5. In the next over, Shamim Hossain’s brief stay ended at 1, trapped lbw by Ravindra Jadeja and review confirmed the decision, and Bangladesh were 161 for 6. Hridoy kept fighting but fell in the 41st over, caught off Shami for 54, leaving the score at 193 for 7. With the middle order gone, Bangladesh needed their lower order to fire.

Nasum Ahmed stepped up with a fearless 44 off 45 balls, smashing six fours and a six. His attacking approach kept the runs coming. Mahedi Hasan, unbeaten on 29 off 23 balls with three boundaries, played smartly, while Tanzim Hasan Sakib, also unbeaten, blasted 14 off 8 balls, including a four and a six. The eighth-wicket pair added 45 runs, pushing Bangladesh past 200 and the final powerplay (overs 41 to 50) was fruitful, with 77 runs added. Extras, including nine wides, contributed 13 runs, and India’s bowlers shared the wickets, with Thakur taking 3 for 65, Shami grabbing 2 for 32, and Jadeja, Patel, and Prasidh Krishna each picking up one. Bangladesh’s 265 for 8 was a fighting total, but they knew defending it against India’s batting powerhouse would be a massive challenge.

Chasing 266, India started with confidence but stumbled early. A stunning century from Shubman Gill kept them in the fight, but Bangladesh’s bowlers struck at crucial moments, clinching a thrilling six-run victory by bowling India out for 259 in 49.5 overs. The chase began disastrously for India. Captain Rohit Sharma faced just two balls before edging Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Anamul Haque for a duck.

The score was 2 for 1, and the pressure was on. Tilak Varma, making his ODI debut, showed brief promise with 5 runs but was bowled by Tanzim in the third over, leaving India at 17 for 2. Shubman Gill, the in-form opener, joined KL Rahul to steady the innings, and the pair put on 57 runs for the third wicket, with Gill playing fluent drives and Rahul offering calm support. Rahul scored 19 off 39 balls with two boundaries but fell in the 17th over, caught off Mahedi Hasan’s bowling.

India were 74 for 3, and the chase was looking tough. Ishan Kishan came in but couldn’t handle the spin. He scored 5 off 15 balls before being trapped lbw by Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the 24th over, and a review upheld the decision, leaving India at 94 for 4. Gill, however, was in a different league, reaching his fifty in 61 balls with six fours and a six. He found a partner in Suryakumar Yadav, who played a quick 26 off 34 balls with three fours.

Their 45-run stand for the fifth wicket kept India alive, but Shakib Al Hasan struck in the 33rd over, bowling Suryakumar to make it 139 for 5. Ravindra Jadeja tried to support Gill but managed only 7 runs before Mustafizur Rahman had him caught in the 38th over. At 170 for 6, India were in deep trouble.

Gill kept fighting, playing a breathtaking innings, and he reached his century in 117 balls, hitting six fours and four sixes, and his 121 off 133 balls gave India hope. But he needed someone to stay with him. Axar Patel provided a spark, smashing 42 off 34 balls with three fours and two sixes. Their 40-run partnership for the seventh wicket took India past 200, keeping the chase alive. The turning point came in the 44th over when Gill, trying to accelerate, was caught off Mahedi’s bowling for 121. India were 209 for 7, and the game was slipping away.

Shardul Thakur battled on, scoring 11 off 13 balls, but Mustafizur struck again in the 48th over, getting him caught by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Axar’s fighting knock ended in the same over, caught for 42, leaving India at 254 for 9. Mohammed Shami tried to pull off a miracle, scoring 6 off 6 balls, but a sharp run-out by Tanzid Hasan in the final over sealed India’s fate. Prasidh Krishna was left not out on 0 as India finished at 259, six runs short of the target.

Bangladesh’s bowlers were superb. Mustafizur Rahman led with 3 for 50, while Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Mahedi Hasan took two wickets each, and Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz chipped in with one wicket each. Their discipline, especially in the death overs, made the difference. Shakib earned the Player of the Match award for his all-round brilliance, 80 runs, and 1 for 43. Despite Gill’s heroic century, Bangladesh’s teamwork, led by their captain and backed by debutant Tanzim and the spinners, secured a memorable victory, showcasing their grit and depth in the Asia Cup Super Four.