"Bangladesh Lost The Game Rather Than India Winning": Sunil Gavaskar's Big Statement
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said that Bangladesh panicked after the rain-break.
The Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team was given a tough time by Bangladesh in their 2022 T20 World Cup Super 12 clash on Wednesday, before the former prevailed by five runs (DLS method). Kohli's unbeaten 64 had steered India to 184-6 but Bangladesh had looked on course for victory after racing to 66-0 in seven overs when rain stopped play causing four overs to be lost. Opener Litton Das hit a 27-ball 60 but his run out after the 50-minute interruption heralded a Bangladesh collapse and ended on 145-6.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said that Bangladesh panicked after the rain-break. "Oh absolutely, at that particular point in time, they were 66 in seven, so we are talking about more than nine runs per over and they were scoring quite comfortably with 10 wickets in hand. And suddenly, when the target was reduced by almost 33 runs, they somehow seemed to have panicked. The asking rate was still the same as when they began their innings," Sunil Gavaskar was quoted as saying to India Today.
"Instead of playing smart cricket, they tried to hit a six just about every ball, trying to target the short square boundaries. The Indians bowled cleverly, just out of the arc of the big shots. Hence, the shots, which otherwise would have gone for sixes were caught at long on and deep mid-wicket."
He went to state that it was a case of Bangladesh losing the plot. "I would say Bangladesh lost the game rather than India winning the game. Yes, India kept their nerves, but it was Bangladesh's batting where they panicked and tried to play too many glory shots. If they had played smart cricket, worked the ball around for twos, they would have got 10 runs an over and that's all that they needed," Gavaskar added.
India are on top of Group 2 with six points from four games and are in pole position to clinch a semi-final spot with a win against Zimbabwe in their final Group 2 match on Sunday.
With AFP inputs
India Cricket Team
Bangladesh Cricket Team
Sunil Gavaskar
Rohit Sharma
Shakib Al Hasan