GWALIOR, Oct 6:
Mayank Yadav bowled with rattling pace in a promising debut while mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy made an impressive comeback to set up India’s dominating seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the series-opening T20 here on Sunday.
India, oozing with fresh talent, bundled out Bangladesh for a below par 127 before the batters played an array of audacious strokes to gun down the target in 11.5 overs.
The starts with the ball was rookie Mayank and Varun while sizzling cameos from Sanju Samson (29 off 19), skipper Suryakumar Yadav (29 off 14) and Hardik Pandya (39 not out off 16 ) ensured a breezy chase for the hosts.
A full house at the newly built Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium witnessed high quality bowling from India and largely ordinary batting from their opponents.
All eyes were on Mayank (1/21) ever since he marked his run up before toss and the 22-year-old from Delhi did not disappoint in his first competitive game in more than five months.
Having attracted global eyeballs for consistently bowling in the 150kmph range during the IPL, Mayank was able to generate serious pace in his opening spell of 2-1-3-1. His first over was a maiden.
Having suffered a side strain shortly after a sensational IPL debut, there were question marks over his fitness in the long term but he dispelled some of those doubts on Sunday.
Mayank was able to hit 145.7 kmph only in his second ball of the evening before hitting 148.7 kmph with the first ball of his second over.
Veteran batter Mahmudullah was among the batters who were wary of his extra pace and ended up becoming the pacer’s first international wicket. The 38-year-old tried to improvise by charging down the wicket but ended up slicing a regulation catch to Washington Sundar at deep point.
Varun (3/31), brought back into the team after nearly three years, troubled the Bangladesh batters who failed to read him. Among them was middle-order batter Jaker Ali who had stumps his castled with a ball that turned back in.
Like Mayank, Varun too was brought inside the powerplay. The mystery spinner bounced back after conceding 15 runs in his opening over by dismissing Towhid Hridoy (12).
Brief scores:
BANGLADESH: 127 all out in 19.5 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 27, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 35 not out; Arshdeep Singh 3/14, Varun Chakravarthy 3/31).
India: 132/3 in 11.5 overs (Hardik Pandya not out 39, Sanju Samson 29, Suryakumar Yadav 29). (PTI)
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