India emerged victorious against Bangladesh by six wickets in their opening match of the Champions Trophy, held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Bangladesh opted to bat first, setting a target of 229 runs for India. Mohammed Shami played a pivotal role in restricting Bangladesh with his impressive bowling figures, taking five wickets for 53 runs. The match also saw remarkable performances from Bangladesh's Towhid Hridoy and India's Shubman Gill.
Towhid Hridoy shone for Bangladesh, scoring his maiden ODI century, providing a sturdy foundation for his team. Despite Hridoy's valiant effort, Bangladesh struggled as Shami dismantled their batting lineup. In a crucial moment, Jaker Ali was dropped on 24 by Hardik Pandya at mid-off, yet he eventually fell to Shami. Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto reflected on the innings' setbacks, noting the importance of fielding errors and acknowledging the loss of key wickets early on.
"In 10 overs, we lost five wickets," said Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.
"We made some mistakes on the field, a couple of dropped catches and a few runouts. If we could take those catches, it could be different," added Shanto.
India's batting lineup, led by Shubman Gill, responded confidently to the target. Gill's unbeaten 101 anchored India’s chase, marking his second consecutive ODI century. Rohit Sharma, leading the team in Jasprit Bumrah's absence due to a back injury, contributed significantly by surpassing 11,000 ODI runs, becoming only the 10th batsman to achieve this milestone.
KL Rahul supported Gill's efforts, finishing with an unbeaten 41 despite an early scare when Jaker Ali dropped him at deep mid-wicket. Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer were dismissed by Rishad and Mustafizur Rahman respectively but their dismissals did not hinder India's progress towards victory.
"With the bat, yes we were under pressure a bit," admitted India captain Rohit Sharma, reflecting on the match dynamics.
The Champions Trophy campaign opener demonstrated India's resilience and strategic prowess. Their disciplined approach on the field and consistent batting performances highlighted their readiness for the tournament.
