DUBAI (Reuters) -Defending champions India stormed into the final of the Asia Cup on Wednesday after thumping Bangladesh by 41 runs in a Super Fours stage contest to maintain their blemish-free run in the tournament.
Reigning 20-overs world champions India have remained unbeaten in the eight-team tournament but their 168-6, built around opener Abhishek Sharma’s rapid 75, was probably less than what they expected after a blazing start.
Their bowlers made up for the lost runs though and bowled out Bangladesh for 127 runs in 19.3 overs with only Saif Hassan offering some resistance with a belligerent 69.
Bangladesh face Pakistan in Thursday’s Super Fours contest with the winners booking their place in Sunday’s final against India.
With regular Bangladesh skipper Litton Das sitting out with a side strain, stop-gap captain Jaker Ali elected to field but could not quite lead by example.
The wicket-keeper dropped Abhishek, the world’s top ranked T20 batter, off Tanzim Hassan Sakib when the opener was on seven and it proved a costly mistake.
Abhishek combined with Shubman Gill (29) in a 77-run opening stand en route to a blistering 25-ball fifty.
Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain dismissed Gill and Shivam Dube in successive overs to stem the boundary flow and India suddenly slumped from 77 for no loss in the seventh over to 129-5 in the 15th.
Abhishek’s 37-ball blitz ended after a mix-up with skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who fell caught behind to Mustafizur Rahman after making five.
Hardik Pandya made 38 down the order to take India past the 150-mark.
Bangladesh lost Tanzid Hasan in the second over but Saif and Parvez Hossain Emon (21) steadied their innings.
Once spinner Kuldeep Yadav (3-18) dismissed Emon, Bangladesh kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
Saif smacked five sixes in his belligerent knock but did not get much help from the other end.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Pritha Sarkar)
