Bangladesh failed to materialise the third chance of bringing their maiden Asia Cup title as India got a three-wicket win in a last-ball thriller in the 14th edition final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in United Arab Emirates, early Saturday.
India got their 7th Asia Cup title, registering the second successive win against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup final after an eight-wicket victory in the Twenty20 version in 2016.
Bangladesh lost the 1st title winning chance in the 50-over version Asia Cup in 2012 with a two-run loss to Pakistan.
In the day’s final, India chased a target of 223 for 7 in 50 overs as Kedar Jadhav hit required one last run from one ball off Mahmudullah Riyad to shore the victory and skipper-cum-opener Rohit Sharma top-scored 48 off 55 balls, including three fours and three sixes.
Jadhav played unbeaten 23* off 27 balls with one boundary and one six while Kuldeep Yadav [5*] gave him a company of five-ball in the end to managing India six off last six balls.
Left-handed spinner Nazmul Islam Apu made the first breakthrough for Bangladesh, removing the ‘player of the tournament’Shikhar Dhawan [15 off 14b; 3×4] at India’s 35 in 4.4 overs, before skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza dismissed Ambati Rayudu on single digit when Indians were at46/2 in 7.3 overs.
Pace bowler Rubel Hossain dragged India’s big hitter, skipper-cum-opener Rohit Sharma, who caught by Apu on 83/3 in 16.4 overs.
Mahmudullah removed India’s 4th pair of 54 off 14 overs between Dinesh Karthik [37 off 61b; 1×4; 1×6] and Mahendra Singh Dhoni as lbw Karthik, keeping India at 137/4 in 30.4 overs.
Dhoni [36 off 67b; 3×6] was caught behind by Mushfiqur Rahim off Mustafizur Rahman on 160/5 in 36.1 overs before Jadhav retired-hurt for a while on team’s 167 from 38th over and India eventually needed 36 off 42 balls with Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the crease.
The hope resurfaced a bit in Bangladesh camp as Rubel and Mustafiz stumbled Indian innings-dismissing Jadeja [23 off 33b; 1×4] and Kumar [21 off 31b; 1×4; 1×6] on 212/6 in 47.2 and 214/7 in 48.1 overs-and India were in need of 9 off 11 balls before Jadhav came back to hold nerves with Kuldeep Yadav for the remaining job.
Rubel [2/26] and Mustafiz [2/38] equally shared four wickets while Mahmudullah [1/33], Mashrafe Mortaza [1/35] and Nazmul Islam [1/56] shared three wickets for Bangladesh.
Sent in to bat first, Bangladesh’s total collection of 222 for all in 48.3 overs spurred by opener Liton Kumar Das completing his maiden ODI century of 121 runs.
Man of the final Liton shared a solid partnership of 120 off 20.5 overs in the opening wicket with Mehidy Hasan Miraz, which is the first hundred-run stand for Bangladesh openers in the tournament as their openers managed only 5, 16, 15, 15 and 1 for the first wicket partnerships in the last five matches.
