Ashwin left relieved after India scrape past Bangladesh

Sport360 staff 03:30 24/03/2016
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  • Raw emotion: Ravi Ashwin.

    Ravichandran Ashwin admitted he was totally spent after India’s “rollercoaster” one-run win over Bangladesh on Wednesday night, but warned the hosts had to up their game if they are to realise their dreams of becoming World T20 champions.

    Bangladesh came tantalisingly close to chasing down India’s total of 146 for seven, but they lost three wickets in the last three balls of a thriller in Bangalore that ended with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni running out Mustafizur Rahman off the last ball of the match.

    A relieved Ashwin, who conceded just 20 runs and claimed two wick- ets to be man of the match, said he had never seen his team-mates so worried.

    “It was a big rollercoaster game, but I think for a team to go all the way in such a game is very, very important,” the off-spinner said.

    “We have never really got together and worried so much. I don’t have anything left, I’m drained after today’s game. I’ll just crash now.”

    India’s group stage victory bolsters their chances of reaching the semi-finals, but they must now defeat Australia on Sunday to secure a place in the final four.

    “As far as today is concerned, where we stand, I don’t think we are contenders for this tournament,” said Ashwin.

    “(But) if we pick up our batting and come together as a good unit I think we will be good contenders from now on.”

    While the victory gives India’s campaign some vital momentum, Bangladesh have no chance of progressing further after having lost all three of their group games.

    “I think (our) bowlers have done a great job. We were on top until the last three balls,” Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza said.

    Dhoni revealed the detail that went into the final delivery with Bangladesh needing two runs to win and one run to tie.

    Hardik Pandya sent down a wide back-of-a-length ball which Bangladesh tail-ender Shuvagata Hom could not reach, and in a foot-race Dhoni beat Mustafizur Rahman to whip off the bails.

    “One thing was sure. We don’t want to bowl a yorker,” Dhoni said. “It had to be a back-of-a-length delivery, but how much back of the length is the question.

    “You don’t want to bowl a wide and by the time it travels to the keeper, the batsman has the opportunity to take one more run.

    “So we were deciding what’s a good field and what’s the length to bowl. I think he executed really well.

    “You can always plan a hundred things and unless the execution is good, it doesn’t look good on the field. I feel the execution of the last delivery was fantastic.”

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