New Delhi: Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rinku Singh struck blazing half-centuries and shared a 108-run partnership for the fourth wicket as India overcame early setbacks as they posted a massive 221/9 in 20 overs, going past 200 runs against Bangladesh for the first time in a T20I, in the second match of the three-game series here on Wednesday.
Asked to bat first at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Reddy blasted a 34-ball 74 while Rinku struck a 29-ball 53, and with Hardik Pandya stroking to a trademark 19-ball 32, India, the reigning World Champions in this format, posted a big score to maintain their chances of taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
India lost openers Sanju Samson (10 off 7) and Abhishek Sharma (15 off 11) and were reduced to 25/2 in three overs as Taskin Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan Sakib varied pace regularly to fox the batters on a wicket on which the ball was sticking. Suryakumar Yadav contributed only eight runs and the hosts were looking in trouble at 41/3.
Reddy and Rinku played the waiting game as they prevented any more disasters before exploding into action around the halfway mark. Reddy hammered 26 runs off the 13th over bowled by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, hitting three sixes and a four in the over in which the Bangladesh bowler sent down a wide.
The duo had earlier taken 24 runs off the 10th over bowled by Rishad Hossain, Reddy hitting him for back-to-back sixes off two full deliveries while Rinku, who started the over with a boundary, ending it with a six off a ball pitched short.
Reddy raced to his half-century off 27 balls, hitting three boundaries and four maximums. He was confident with his shots and was not afraid to take the ariel root despite watching the first three batters perish to the varied pace. In all, he hammered four boundaries and seven huge sixes before he perished to Mustafizur Rahman as he failed to pick the cutter and went for an attacking shot.
Rinku, who struck the first six of the Indian innings, hit Tanzim Hasan to the fence off successive balls in the 16th over. He had earlier hit Rishad Hossain for a four and a six in the 10th over as he scored a fine half-century. The Indians made the most of the overs bowled by Bangladesh spinners as they recovered to post a challenging total.
Hardik Pandya blasted two fours and two sixes in his vital cameo and Riyan Parag hit two big ones in one over in his 6-ball 15 as India crossed the 200 runs mark. However, the lower-order fell in a heap as India lost three wickets in the final over bowled by Rishad Hossain as the bowler ended with 3-55 off his four overs. Taskin Ahmed was the best Bangladesh bowler with 2-16 off his quota while Tanzim Hasan Sakib lost his way after a good start as he ended with 2-50.
Brief scores:
India 221/9 in 20 overs (Nithsh Kumar Reddy 74, Rinku Singh 53, Hardik Pandya 32; Taskin Ahmed 2-16, Rishad Hossain 3-55, Tanzim Hasan Sakib 2-50, Mustafizur Rahman 2-36) against Bangladesh.
(IANS)
