Nitish Reddy, Rinku Singh muscle India to a convincing series win Nitish Reddy, Rinku Singh muscle India to a convincing series win
Nitish Reddy, Rinku Singh muscle India to a convincing series win

October 11, 2024

Nitish Reddy, Rinku Singh muscle India to a convincing series win

India secured a dominant 86-run victory over Bangladesh in New Delhi, winning the three-match T20I series 2-0 with one match remaining. The standout performance came from Nitish Reddy, who contributed significantly to India’s largest-ever victory margin against Bangladesh.

Batting first after losing the toss, India posted an impressive 221 runs, bolstered by a crucial 108-run partnership between Nitish Reddy and Rinku Singh for the fourth wicket. The pitch lived up to expectations, favoring the batters with good run-scoring opportunities. However, Bangladesh initially found success during the PowerPlay, taking three quick wickets. Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav both fell to mid-off catches, with Abhishek Sharma also dismissed after scoring 15 runs.

India began aggressively, with Samson hitting two boundaries off Mehidy Hasan’s first over, and Abhishek adding another. But the tide turned as Taskin Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan Sakib took wickets in quick succession. Mustafizur Rahman joined in, dismissing captain Suryakumar Yadav, leaving India in a tricky situation despite a solid start of 45 runs.

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Rinku and Nitish Lead India’s Explosive Batting Charge

Once Rinku and Nitish settled in, they unleashed their batting prowess against the spinners. Rinku’s massive slog-sweep for six off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain marked the beginning of their aggressive approach, which continued as Nitish followed suit against Mahmudullah. The 10th over showcased their power-hitting, as they hammered Rishad Hossain for 24 runs, including three sixes and a four. Even when pace bowlers returned, Nitish and Rinku maintained the pressure, with Nitish hitting another six and Rinku adding a boundary off Mustafizur Rahman.

Nitish Reddy celebrated his maiden international fifty in impressive fashion, reaching the milestone in just 27 balls as his partnership with Rinku Singh gained momentum. The duo crossed the 100-run mark with Nitish hitting Mehidy Hasan for three sixes and a four before falling to a slower delivery from Mustafizur Rahman. His explosive innings of 74 runs off 34 balls shifted the match in India’s favor.

Hardik Pandya continued the onslaught, hitting a four and a six against Rishad Hossain right away. Rinku then followed suit with a barrage of boundaries—two fours and a six—against Tanzim Hasan Sakib, bringing up his fifty in just 26 balls before he was dismissed by Taskin Ahmed. Hardik and Riyan Parag kept the runs flowing as India surged past 200 in the penultimate over. However, India lost four wickets in the final seven balls, limiting their total to 221. Despite this, the target proved more than sufficient as Bangladesh struggled in their chase.

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Indian Bowlers Dominate as Bangladesh’s Innings Collapses

Although Parvez Hossain Meroz started strong by hitting three boundaries in the opening over against Arshdeep Singh, the innings quickly unraveled. Arshdeep took a wicket in the next over, while Washington Sundar struck shortly after, dismissing Najmul Hossain Shanto with a catch to long on. Bangladesh’s batting continued to falter as spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Abhishek Sharma both took wickets in their opening overs, leaving Bangladesh reeling at 3 for 6 in just 14 balls.

Mahmudullah and Mehidy Hasan tried to stabilize the innings temporarily, but Mehidy fell to a catch at long off. Nitish capped off his stellar performance by claiming two wickets in the latter stages, ensuring it was a near-perfect day for him and the Indian team.

Brief Scores:

India: 221/9 (Nitish Reddy 74, Rinku Singh 53; Rishad Hossain 3-55)

Bangladesh: 135/9 (Mahmudullah 41; Varun Chakravarthy 2-19)

Result: India won by 86 runs.

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Harmanpreet, Mandhana and Shafali set up India’s NRR-boosting win

India showcased their batting prowess by defeating Sri Lanka by 82 runs at the Dubai International Stadium, avenging their Asia Cup loss. This victory marked India’s largest win by runs in Women’s T20 World Cups, elevating their Net Run Rate above New Zealand, with whom they might compete for a semifinal spot in the final Group A fixtures. Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, this defeat meant they were eliminated after suffering three consecutive losses.

After a couple of lackluster batting performances earlier in the tournament, India’s star players stepped up when it mattered most. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored an impressive 52 not out off 27 balls, while her deputy, Smriti Mandhana, contributed 50 runs off 38 balls. Shafali Verma set a strong foundation with a brisk 43, forming a solid opening partnership of 98 runs. India’s total of 172/3 was the highest in the tournament so far and proved to be a daunting target for Sri Lanka, who had been struggling with batting issues leading up to this match.

Opting to bat first, India started cautiously. It wasn’t until the third over that Verma struck the team’s first boundary, chipping a delivery from Udeshika Prabodhani over extra cover. She followed up with another boundary in the next two overs, while Mandhana finally broke free in the last over of the Powerplay, hitting Sugandika Kumari for a boundary after scoring just eight runs from her first 12 deliveries. By the end of the Powerplay, India had managed a score of 41 runs.

Smriti Mandhana’s Explosive Batting Sets the Stage for India’s Commanding Total

One shot encapsulated Smriti Mandhana’s impactful innings that night. After hitting India’s first six of the tournament by lofting Inoka Ranaweera over long-on, Mandhana showcased her versatility by shuffling away to hit balls pitching outside leg stump, slicing them inside-out over extra cover. India scored 37 runs in the first four overs following the Powerplay, with Mandhana overtaking her quick-starting partner, Shafali Verma.

The opening duo of Mandhana and Verma, who equaled a record by achieving 20 partnerships of 50 or more runs in T20Is, was finally separated in the 13th over after an impressive 98-run partnership. Mandhana was run out just two balls after reaching her half-century off 36 balls. Verma followed suit immediately, attempting to flick a delivery from Chamari Athapaththu but edging it to point.

After a brief period of stabilization, India launched another attacking phase. While Mandhana focused her shots toward the off side, captain Harmanpreet Kaur employed classic slogging techniques through cow corner. A six and a four off Sugandika Kumari got her innings underway, and she followed up with two more boundaries off Athapaththu and a pair in the 19th over bowled by Ama Kanchana. Starting the final over on 41, Harmanpreet struck consecutive fours to complete her half-century in just 27 balls—the fastest by her and by any Indian batter in Women’s T20 World Cups. After managing only 12 fours in their first two matches, India erupted for 18 fours and two sixes in this innings, leaving Sri Lanka with a daunting target.

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Dominant All-Round Performance Secures Victory for India

India’s performance wasn’t limited to just their batting; their fielding, often a weakness, shone brightly on this day. Right from the second ball, substitute fielder Radha Yadav made a spectacular diving catch off a skier from Vishmi Gunaratne. Renuka Thakur, who took the first wicket, struck again in her second over, dismissing Harshitha Madavi, who edged a delivery to the keeper. In between, Shreyanka Patil showcased impressive spin, turning the ball sharply to have Chamari Athapaththu edge a defensive shot to first slip.

With Sri Lanka losing three wickets within the first 14 balls of their chase, they were effectively out of contention. India’s challenge now was to restrict Sri Lanka to fewer than 127 runs to improve their Net Run Rate (NRR) over New Zealand. They surpassed this goal, bowling Sri Lanka out for just 90 runs. Asha Sobhana was outstanding with the ball, claiming 3 wickets for just 19 runs, while Arundhati Reddy matched her figures. India wrapped up the victory with a ball to spare.

Brief Scores:
India: 172/3 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 52*, Smriti Mandhana 50, Shafali Verma 43; Chamari Athapaththu 1-29)
Sri Lanka: 90 all out in 19.5 overs (Asha Sobhana 3-19, Arundhati Reddy 3-19)
Result: India won by 82 runs.

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author
Katarzyna Nowak

Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for IPLWin365 (IPL365 News), she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.