Catastrophe at Bengaluru; redemption at Delhi
Finally, the ghost was sent back.
As Mahmudullah Riyad crashed Shivam Dube's delivery out of the ground for six, he must have also knocked off the ghosts of the 2016 T20 world Cup, when Mahmudullah was alongside Mushfiqur Rahim at the crease and failed to score two runs off three balls.
When Mahmudullah came into the crease, Bangladesh still needed 35 off 18 deliveries and the well set Soumya Sarkar had just gone back. But the biggest thing still might have been the ghost chasing these two since 2016, the ghost that might have chased them for a long time now.
Bangladesh needed 10 runs from six balls in Bengaluru that night, after Mushfiq hit a couple of boundaries off Hardik Pandya, the equation came down to two off three. The next three deliveries were a horror show as Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah both went back playing pointless shots and a run out handed India a one-run win.
What could not be done in Bengaluru, was done in Delhi.
When Mushfiq was on strike in the 19th over, Bangladesh still required 20 off 10 balls. Mushfiq hit Khaleel for a four through square leg, the next ball he scooped it for another four. Two boundaries in a row, it looked like a mirror image. But what followed next showed that Mushfiq had come way beyond Bengaluru.
The next delivery was a low full toss outside off, and Mushfiq sent it effortlessly to the boundary through the point area. The equation was already in Bangladesh's side, and Mushfiq made the win obvious with a streaky shot which rolled to the fence. This time Mushfiq did not celebrate after the boundary, he waited.
And the next over, Mahmudullah sealed it off with a six and finally made sure that the ghost was gone. And now it was Mushfiq's time to celebrate, to bump a fist in the air.
Mushfiqur might have been put to the sword though, as he played a lot of dots in the first part of his innings. But the veteran did not let the pressure of the climbing run-rate touch him as he later on finished the match and sealed a historic win.
Mahmudullah had a big job to do too. He was given captaincy after the Tigers' regular captain in this format Shakib Al Hasan was banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for a year and Mahmudullah's track record as the national team skipper was not up to the mark. But cometh the hour, cometh the man.
Mahmudullah led his team brilliantly on the field as he utilized the pitch to its full with his bowling changes and restricted India to a chase able 148. The last two overs of the India innings might have been a thorn to his neck, but coming on to bat, he ensured that he had removed it. His short cameo of 15 from seven not only just took the pressure off Mushfiq but also ensured a historic win for his side.
Even though he gave all the praise to his teammates, he had a big role to do and he did it magnificently.
This was Bangladesh's first victory in T20Is against India, and they did it in style. Maybe style is the wrong word to use here, they did it fighting a ghost. And they managed to send that ghost back to the grave, and the ones who sent it back were the ones who created it.
