Mohammed Shami bags 5, but resilient Towhid Hridoy ton lifts Bangladesh from 35-5 to 228 in 2025 Champions Trophy match against India
Mohammed Shami (5-53) bagged his sixth five-wicket haul in ODIs, but Towhid Hridoy (100 off 118) played a terrific knock to push Bangladesh to 228 in the Group A 2025 Champions Trophy match against India in Dubai on Thursday, February 20. At one stage, Bangladesh were tottering at 35-5 after 8.3 overs. However, Hridoy and Jaker Ali (68 off 114) lifted them with a sixth-wicket stand of 154.
While Jaker held one end up, Hridoy battled cramps during the second half of his innings but hung on to take his team to a fighting total. The duo's 154-run partnership is now the highest for the sixth wicket in the Champions Trophy. Hridoy struck six fours and two sixes before falling to Harshit Rana in the last over.
Bowling first after losing the toss, India made a sensational start to reduce Bangladesh to 35-5 inside nine overs. Shami struck in the first over as Soumya Sarkar fell for a duck, looking to play a drive. Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto also failed to open his account. He chipped a wide ball from Harshit straight to Virat Kohli at short cover.
Shami had his second wicket when Mehidy Hasan Miraz (5) slashed at a wide ball but only managed an outside edge and Shubman Gill took a sharp catch at slip. Axar Patel then picked up two in two to reduce Bangladesh to 35-5. Tanzid Hasan (25) edged one behind the wicket as he tried to punch the ball through the off side. Mushfiqur Rahim (0) was then caught behind off the shoulder of the bat.
Bangladesh make commendable fightback after unlucky Axar is denied hat-trick
Axar was denied a well-deserved hat-trick as Rohit Sharma dropped a sitter offered by Jaker. The Indian captain banged his hand on the turf in frustration and also apologized to the bowler. Following the let-off, Jaker and Hridoy began a commendable rearguard action.
Bangladesh were aided by India, who let a couple of chances slip. In the 20th over of the innings, Hridoy tried to lift a delivery from Kuldeep Yadav over the off side. He failed to get the elevation, but Hardik Pandya dropped a relatively straightforward chance at mid-off. Then, KL Rahul, who had been brilliant behind the stumps until then, missed a stumping of Jaker off Ravindra Jadeja's bowling.
The brilliant sixth-wicket partnership for Bangladesh ended when Jaker miscued an off-cutter of Shami. Rishad Hossain (18 off 12) played a nice cameo, hammering Axar for two sixes and a four in a 20-run over. Towards the end of his innings, Hridoy could barely stand on his feet but completed a resolute hundred.