Dhoni,Kohli win it for India

Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed left the cricketing world shell-shocked when they led Bangladesh to victory against world champions Australia in 2005.

Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed left the cricketing world shell-shocked when they led Bangladesh to victory against world champions Australia in 2005. In the last decade,the side has fashioned one-day wins against Pakistan,New Zealand,West Indies,South Africa and Sri Lanka. But ask anybody on the streets in Dhaka,and they will say that there is an extra edge that comes with humbling India as their team had done one dramatic day at Port-of-Spain in 2007.

The Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur which has been half-full and docile for the first couple of days turned into an intimidating cauldron on Thursday night as India slipped to 51 for three within the ninth over of their chase. The visitors had lost Virender Sehwag,Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh already,and the Bangladesh faithfuls in the stands sensed another historic night.

But the noise which had reached a crescendo soon got mellow,as Mahendra Singh Dhoni played kill-joy in a cool and collected manner to lead India to a comfortable six-wicket win. Coming in to bat with 246 runs still required,the Indian skipper scored his seventh ODI ton remaining unbeaten on 101 off 107 balls and shared a 152-run stand with Virat Kohli,who scored a defiant 102-ball 91. Kohli fell nine runs short of a century,but Suresh Raina joined his captain and crushed the partisan crowds hopes of a dramatic turnaround,finishing with a 43-ball 51.

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Earlier in the day,though,Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and bravely elected to bat a decision which took even Dhoni by surprise,as he later pointed out and his batsmen didnt let him down. Led by Tamim Iqbal,Imrul Kayes and later Mahmudullah,the Bangladesh batsmen not only embarrassed Indias much vaunted bowling attack,they also piled on a number of batting records,as they reached 296 for six.

Of the many memorable moments from that World Cup encounter almost three years ago,one which stands out vividly for most,is Iqbal,who scored a half-century,nonchalantly smashing Zaheer Khan for a straight six. The aggressive 20-year-old opener managed to get under the experienced Indian pacers skin once again coaxing him into an altercation after picking 12 runs from the six deliveries he faced off him.

The rest werent spared either,as Iqbal swept,pulled and drove with equal loathing to smash 10 fours and one six to bring up his half-century off 33 balls the quickest by a Bangladesh batsman against India.

Imrul Kayes,meanwhile,maintained his composure during Iqbals early assault before steadying the innings. Kayes,with Raqibul Hasan,kept the pressure on the visitors before ending up as Bangladeshs top-scorer with 70 off 100 balls.

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Mahmudullah then added all the insults he could muster to further hurt the injured egos of the Indian bowlers,carting them around the park to finish with an unbeaten 45-ball 60. The all-rounder didnt score off the first 11 balls he faced,but in tandem with Naeem Islam,added 54 runs off the last five overs of the innings to leave India with a difficult chase.