Hardik Pandya's all-round show helps India beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in first T20 International
Indian all-rounder and T20 World Cup hero Hardik Pandya put up yet another heroic performance to help the hosts beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in the first match of the series on Sunday.
Spectators in Gwalior were left amazed after Pandya took two catches, scored an unbeaten 39 runs, and claimed one wicket, to bag the game for India.
Chasing a modest target of 128 runs, India, under the leadership of Surya Kumar Yadav, achieved a swift 132 for 3 in just 11.5 overs.
The Indian bowling attack disturbed the Bangladeshi batsmen after they were set to bat first and bowled out the visitors for 127 runs in 19.5 overs.
The innings got off to a rocky start with Abhishek Sharma being run out early, but India's batting lineup proved too formidable for the visitors and reached 132 runs target by losing only seven wickets.
The match concluded in style as Pandya launched a spectacular six off Taskin Ahmed, sealing the victory with a commanding pull over cow corner.
Nitish Reddy provided steady support, scoring 16* off 14 balls, while Sanju Samson played a crucial role at the top of the order, contributing 29 runs off 19 balls with six boundaries.
Suryakumar Yadav also made a significant contribution with a quick 29 runs off 14 balls, hitting 2 boundaries and 3 sixes before his dismissal.
On the bowling front, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy were standout performers for India. Winning the toss, India opted to field first, setting the stage for a relentless bowling assault. Arshdeep led the charge with three wickets for a mere 14 runs in 3.5 overs, dismissing key players like Litton Das and Parvez Hossain Emron, which left the Bangladeshi batting order reeling.
Varun complemented Arshdeep's efforts effectively, claiming three wickets for 31 runs.
India took 1-0 lead in the series.