Bangladesh Stuns India in Asia Cup Super 4 Thriller, Clinching a Dramatic 6-Run Victory

In a captivating encounter that went down to the wire, Bangladesh emerged victorious over India by a mere six runs in the Asia Cup Super 4 stage. Despite a magnificent century from Shubman Gill and a valiant effort from Axar Patel, India fell short in their chase, providing Bangladesh with a memorable win and a much-needed boost.

Opting to bat first, Bangladesh posted a competitive total of 265 runs, largely thanks to skipper Shakib Al Hasan's composed 80 and Towhid Hridoy's aggressive 54.

The duo forged a crucial partnership, steadying the innings after some early wickets and laying a solid foundation. Shakib showcased his class with elegant strokes, while Hridoy provided the much-needed impetus in the middle overs. Towards the end, some valuable contributions from Mahedi Hasan and Nasum Ahmed ensured Bangladesh reached a challenging score.

India's chase began on a shaky note, losing early wickets as the Bangladeshi bowlers, particularly Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Mahedi Hasan, exploited the conditions effectively.

Skipper Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, and KL Rahul all departed relatively cheaply, putting immense pressure on the Indian middle order. However, Shubman Gill stood tall amidst the collapse, displaying exquisite timing and resilience. He anchored the innings with a brilliant century, his sixth in ODIs, keeping India's hopes alive almost single-handedly.

As wickets continued to tumble around him, Gill found some support in the lower order, most notably from Axar Patel.

Axar played a fearless innings, smashing quick boundaries and rotating the strike adeptly, bringing India tantalizingly close to the target. Their partnership breathed new life into the chase, turning what seemed like a comfortable win for Bangladesh into a nail-biting finish.

However, the pressure of the asking rate and the loss of Gill's wicket proved to be too much in the dying overs.

Mahedi Hasan, who had been exceptional with the ball, picked up crucial wickets, and Mustafizur Rahman delivered a tight spell at the death. In the end, India needed 12 runs off the final over, but fell six runs short, giving Bangladesh a thrilling and well-deserved victory. While India had already secured their spot in the final, this match served as a crucial test and highlighted the competitive spirit of both teams.