In a low-scoring yet thrilling contest, India emerged victorious against Bangladesh in their Champions Trophy opener, successfully chasing a target of 229. The sluggish pitch made things tricky, but Shubman Gill’s patient and well-calculated knock ensured that India crossed the finish line with 21 balls to spare. Gill registered his slowest ODI century, and also the slowest by an Indian batter in the last six years. However, it proved to be a match-winning effort, keeping India’s campaign on track.

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While India had their share of struggles with the bat, Mohammed Shami’s brilliant five-wicket haul set up the foundation for the victory. Shami reached a major milestone, becoming the fastest bowler to claim 200 ODI wickets in terms of balls bowled.

Winning the toss on a dry, slow pitch, Bangladesh opted to bat first, hoping to put up a competitive total. However, their top order crumbled under pressure. India’s bowlers made early inroads, reducing Bangladesh to a dismal 35 for 5. Axar Patel had a golden opportunity to claim a hat-trick, but Rohit Sharma’s dropped catch allowed Bangladesh a fighting chance.

Towhid Hridoy emerged as Bangladesh’s hero, battling cramps and a challenging pitch to score a brilliant century. Despite the odds, he guided Bangladesh to 228, giving their bowlers something to defend. Unfortunately for Bangladesh, missed chances in the field cost them dearly, as India was able to recover despite struggling in the middle overs.

India started their chase in dominant fashion, with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill attacking the Bangladesh pacers. The pair added 69 runs quickly, but Rohit fell for 41 off 36 balls while attempting one last big shot before the powerplay ended.

After Rohit’s dismissal, scoring became slow and difficult. Even a seasoned batter like Virat Kohli struggled to find gaps before falling to Rishad Hossain. Shreyas Iyer showed promise but misjudged a slower ball, getting dismissed for 15. Axar Patel, promoted up the order to boost the net run rate, failed to read a topspinner and was caught attempting a slog-sweep.

India’s middle order collapse saw three wickets fall for just 75 runs in over 20 overs, making the chase harder than anticipated. KL Rahul too had an edgy start but managed to survive after being dropped early on by Jaker Ali.

While wickets tumbled at the other end, Gill held his nerve and played one of the most patient knocks of his career. He slowed down significantly, focusing on rotating the strike and keeping India in the game. By the time he reached his half-century, it had become India’s slowest ODI fifty in years.

Gill picked his moments carefully, accelerating only when necessary. He scored just 30 runs off 52 balls after Rohit’s dismissal, but his finishing ability ensured he reached a century at the perfect time. A six and a four off Tanzim Hasan helped him reach his hundred off 125 balls, securing India’s victory in style.

Shubham Gill said that “this was one of the satisfying century he has made for team India which has helped the team to win the match.”

KL Rahul finished the chase in emphatic fashion, smashing a six to take India home comfortably with 21 balls to spare. While India won the game, the slow approach and fielding lapses will be areas to improve upon as they move forward in the tournament.

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