India outclassed hosts Bangladesh by eight wickets in the final of the Asia Cup T20 2016 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. This Asia Cup victory was the ideal build-up for the Indians ahead of the crucial ICC World Twenty20 starting from March 8.
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But deep down inside even the Bangladeshi players knew that India were a different kettle of fish. With this win India also kept their unbeaten run in the tournament.
Mahmudullah helped the side plunder 42 runs in the last three overs after Bangladesh was in trouble at 78-5 in 12 overs.
Earlier, the match was reduced to 15 overs a side following rains. Dhawan was out for 60.
But “Gabbar” had done the damage by then, pulling the target down to 99 for 2 for India, who needed just 22 more in 14 balls after a 94-run stand with Dhawan and Virat Kohli off just 67 balls. They played really well, we have exciting batsmen and bowlers, hopefully this team will carry on from here.
Shikhar Dhawan’s half-century and Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s barn-storming finish took India to Asia Cup success via an eight-wicket win over Bangladesh in a rain-shortened final. It is the sixth time India has emerged as champions in the race of Asian supremacy. We have got a team that has balance and potential.
Bangladesh, on the other hand, won three of their four games in the round-robin stage to book a place tournament’s summit clash for a second time after 2012, when they had lost to Pakistan.
India lost Rohit Sharma early in the second over as Al-Amin Hossain got him nick to the slip fielder for just one run. There is tremendous self- belief in the team and the tour of Australia was extremely important, bouncing back to win four matches after losing the first four.
Sri Lanka has won the Asia Cup title five times including the 2014 Asia Cup and Pakistan has won it two times.
Sabbir Rahman anchored the innings with an unbeaten 32 off 29 balls, and Shakib Al Hasan pitched in with 21 off 18 deliveries, but the Tigers’ total would prove to be too small.
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Sarkar was caught at mid-off in the end of the fourth over off the bowling of Ashish Nehra (1-33).
