
The excitement level was at new heights on Day 5 of the second Test between India and Bangladesh after the Kanpur- Green Park Stadium hosted the tie in the same place as the first.
This was a match India won convincingly by seven wickets to ensure a clean sweep of the two-match series.
India were relentless all through the match and scripted a dominating victory over the visiting team. The match saw India chase down a small target of 95 runs, finishing at 98 for 3, winning the game just after lunch.
Right from the word go, this was a battle in which both the teams were more or less evenly matched. Bangladesh began their second innings at 233, dismissed in the first innings for 146. Indian bowlers, once again spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah, did not relent to let Bangladesh get more than 146 in their second innings either.
It was India’s bowling force that was relentless in knocking the play into shape. India’s bowlers, on the other hand, presented a vicious mix of spin and pace against Bangladesh that the team could hardly resist really entering into a significant partnership in the match.
The dismissal of big-name batsmen Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim later ensured Bangladesh could not recover in the match. Bangladesh finally folded before India’s bowling strengths.
India’s Chase

Image credit: News18
India’s first innings began with the openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal trying to provide a great platform for their chase.
However, Rohit’s wicket within eight overs put plenty of pressure on the Indian innings. Jaiswal batted with a maturity that kept the Indians in the game during this period.
There were some irresistible shots, and not long after, fifty up for Jaiswal was brought and established that the young lad had it in him for the Indian line-up.
As if all was set for him to win the game for his team, the player fell to a top-edge off Taijul Islam and departed for 51 runs off 45 balls. His dismissal hardly caused a hitch in India’s path to victory.
The Partnership That Sealed the Win
With Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant sharing the innings now, the experienced duo kept cool amidst minor turbulence.
Steady Kohli at the crease and Pant’s aggressive stroke play were the reasons for sending India towards the target through their partnership.
Kohli’s association with Pant was calculated in taking risks and smartly running between the wickets.
He silently rotated the strike, which wasn’t so characteristic of him, while Pant was quick to kick off boundaries when the moment called for it. That seemed to settle also the nerves within the Indian camp.
Electric with tension, the stadium was now as India edged close to its target.
The huge crowds had been present in the ground but it was on the edge of their seats when their heroes threatened to seal the match for them.
Intelligent batting by Kohli ensured that pressure remained on the Bangladeshi bowlers so that they failed to contain the scores.
Pant finished the game off in style, lofting a ball over mid-on for a boundary that sealed victory for India and completed a successful series. The win also marked a significant milestone for the Indian team as they rose further up the chart for the WTC.
WTC Talking of the WTC, India’s win has sealed the No. 1 position at the top of the points table for the 2023-25 cycle. With a PCT of 74.2 after 11 matches, the team stands well-set to qualify for the final for the third consecutive time.
The result reflects the team’s skill but also its consistency in the game’s longest format. The Indian cricket unit has shown an amalgamation of youth and experience, a mix that seems to be coming good for the side.
On the other hand, Bangladesh has been under immense pressure throughout the series.
The batting line-up was nowhere effective against Indian bowlers and never attempted to go on to build any significant partnership as it did in the outcome of this contest.
The defeat, however, has left them in the seventh position of the WTC points table, a stark reminder of the trying times they are facing at the international level. Still, this series is surely going to be an experience for the team while preparing for such events in the future.
The victory in the second Test of Bangladesh against India adds to its trophy sheet and also enhances its position as an outstanding team in Test cricket.
The young players have risen to the challenge, and the experienced campaigners have delivered when it mattered the most.
Now, in the journey of India in the World Test Championship, the fans would be keenly watching how the team evolves and adapts in the coming matches.
This triumph comes as an epitome of the sweat and effort that players put in and the support of the audience, and it will remain a much-treasured memory in India’s cricket history.
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References: sportstar.thehindu.com
