This day, That year: India clinched victory against Bangladesh in a do-or-die match at T20I World Cup.
The final of the Nidahas Trophy T20I tri-series between India and Bangladesh last week went down to the last ball. The epic thriller ended with Dinesh Karthik smashing a six in the final ball to win the trophy and the match for India. But it was not the first time the side had won a T20I against their neighbours on the final ball. In a similar match played a couple of years ago, it was allrounder Hardik Pandya who established himself as the hero after taking his side to victory.
Playing the do-or-die group stage match of the World T20 in 2016 at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India went on to set a modest target of 148 for Bangladesh. Needing 11 of the final over, Pandya was tasked with defending the total. With Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim in the middle, it looked like an easy target to chase down.
Pandya pitched a wider delivery to Mahmudullah first-off which went for a single. Needing 10 off 5, Rahim launched the second delivery for a boundary reducing the equation to 6 off 4. He scooped the next ball for another boundary and the equation turned to 2 runs to win in 3 balls. Rahim tried to launch the next ball for a six but it went straight to Shikhar Dhawan.
Needing 2 off 2, Mahmudullah could not keep his calm and he too tried to play a big shot. But a diving catch from Ravindra Jadeja sent him back to the pavilion. With two wickets in two balls, Bangladesh’s task had gone from a casual walk to a nervous nailbiter. With 2 runs to win on last delivery, India brought all their fielders inside the circle. Pandya pitched it short and wide and the Shuvagata Hom failed to connect. As Bangladesh tried to steal a single to take the match to a Super Over, MS Dhoni ran full speed to the stumps and took off the bails. As the replays showed the player was out of the crease, India went on to win the match by a run.
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#OnThisDay in 2016, India pulled off a dramatic one-run win over Bangladesh in a #WT20 group match in Bangalore.
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— ICC (@ICC) 23 March 2018
India advanced further to reach the semifinal of the tournament but failed to reach the final after being knocked out by West Indies.