3rd ODI: India Script 77-Run Win to Avoid Whitewash vs Bangladesh

India restored some pride with a consolation 77-run win over Bangladesh in third and final ODI here on Wednesday to prevent the spirited hosts from securing a famous 3-0 series whitewash.(Scorecard | Highlights)

India, put in to bat, put up a competitive 317 for six courtesy under-fire captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (69 runs off 77 balls) and opener Shikhar Dhawan (75 off 73)). Suresh Raina put up an all-round effort, scoring 38 before ending with career best figures of three for 45.

The home team flattered to deceive in the chase with its batsmen squandering promising starts, eventually ending at 240 all out to give India their first and only win of the short tour.

Bangladesh were cruising in the first 10 overs despite losing the experienced Tamim Iqbal (5) early.

Young Soumya Sarkar (40 off 34) showed once again he is a batsman to watch out for during his entertaining stay at the crease. The opener played shots all around the wicket in the company of Litton Das (34 off 50), smashing five fours and two sixes to send the crowd into a frenzy.

Like some of his teammates, Sarkar looked set for a big score until he mistimed a slower one off Dhawal Kulkarni, giving a simple catch to Ravichandran Ashwin at mid-on. However, the game was very much alive with Bangladesh reaching 65 for two in 10 overs.

Das and Mushfiqur Rahim (24 off 30) got together and shared a 50-run stand before the two fell in quick succession, leaving their team at 118 for four in the 22nd over. And when premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan departed to make it 148 for five, Bangladesh's hopes of another famous win over India were receding fast.

However, Sabbir Rahman (43 off 38) and Nasir Hossain (32 off 30) were not to go down without a fight. The duo hammered 49 off 38 balls for the sixth wicket as the dew made batting easier in the second half of the game.

India badly needed to wicket now and Stuart Binny, playing his first game of the series, provided the timely strike by finding the stumps of the dangerous Rahman, leaving Bangladesh at 197 for six in the 33rd over. The asking rate was not much of an issue for the hosts but they just kept on losing wickets at regular interval.

Spinners Ashwin and Axar Patel were effective alongisde part timer Raina. Umesh Yadav, brought back into the side, was wayward again and ended up conceding 33 runs in four overs.

Earlier, Dhawan starred with the bat before beleaguered skipper Dhoni struck a gritty fifty to take India to a defendable total.

India relied on Dhoni's 93-run stand for the fourth wicket with Ambati Rayudu (44 off 49) and Dhawan's 75-run partnership for the second wicket with Virat Kohli (25 off 35).

Raina hit a 21-ball 38, with three fours and two sixes, giving the innings a much-needed thrust.

Dhoni, who was criticised following the team's first ODI series defeat to Bangladesh and for his own poor run of form, had to work hard for his runs. The skipped still managed six boundaries and a six in the process.

Dhawan, who found the fence 10 times, laid the foundation and sporadically found the gaps. His innings was about immaculate timing, delicate touches and deft placement, especially through the off-side.

To start with, the intent was there till Rohit Sharma (29), in a moment of indiscretion, threw away his wicket to Mustafizur's away going delivery.

This was the third time in the series the batsman was castled by the young left-arm pacer, who has created a flutter with back-to-back five-wicket hauls in his maiden ODI series.

With 13 wickets to his credit so far, Mustafizur equalled the world record for most number of scalps in a three-ODI series, Ryan Harris being the other bowler.

A 39-run opening stand was followed by a 75-run stand for the second wicket, with Dhawan doing the bulk of scoring, courtesy some delectable drives through the off-side.

Kohli, who once again failed to make it big after getting his eye in, gave away his wicket while going for a needless heave on the on-side. On this occasion, Kohli was done in by the slowness of the wily Shakib.

Dhawan, on and off, kept the likes of Mustafizur, Rubel Hossain, Arafat Sunny at bay, sending them scurrying between mid-off and cover. But he too had a soft dismissal. The Delhi batsman failed to connect a long hop for the agile Nasir Hossain to complete a good catch at mid-wicket.

It was then left to the pair of Dhoni and Rayudu to consolidate India's innings, and the duo did that by picking up singles and twos besides hitting the occasional boundaries.

Dhoni was calculative as well as adventurous. He was not scared of stepping down the ground to the spinners and was equally at ease handling the pacers. Rayudu was not left behind, comfortably rotating the strike even as his skipper produced the big hits.