India’s Shubman Gill celebrates after scoring a century (100 runs) during the ICC Champions Trophy one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Bangladesh and India at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on February 20, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AFP
Shubman Gill’s previous three scores coming into the Champions Trophy read: 87, 60 and 112 (all against England). On Thursday, the 25-year-old continued his purple patch as he smashed his eighth ODI hundred (101 n.o, 129b, 9×4, 2×6) to help India kickstart its Champions Trophy campaign with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
In pursuit of a modest target of 229, Gill showed why he is the top-ranked batter in the format as he expertly shepherded the chase and carried his bat through.
He was aggressive in the PowerPlay and then hunkered down to navigate the tricky middle phase smartly when the spinners operated, ensuring the Men in Blue got its campaign off to a winning start.
The victory, though, was in no small measure set up by the bowlers led by Mohammed Shami (10-0-53-5), who scalped his sixth five-wicket haul to restrict Bangladesh to 228.
On a pitch that was on the slower side, it was imperative to maximise the PowerPlay and openers Rohit Sharma and Gill got India off to a flyer, scoring 69 in the first 10 overs.
After starting tentatively against Mustafizur Rahman, Rohit took the left-arm pacer to the cleaners, smoking him for seven boundaries with some serene shots through the square on the off-side.
Gill was not to be left behind, pulling the fiery Tanzim Hasan for a six and then charging down to loft him over covers.
But Bangladesh got back into the contest through its spinners Rishad Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who squeezed the runs dry during the middle-overs.
Najmul Hossain Shanto’s men had a small opening in the game when India lost three wickets for 22 runs and was in a spot of bother at 144 for four.
However, Gill and K.L. Rahul who reaffirmed his status as the finisher by stroking a measured unbeaten 41 – stitched an unbroken 87-run stand for the fifth wicket to take their side home.
Rescue job
Earlier, it was an innings of two halves for the Tigers, whose top-order just crumbled inside the PowerPlay before Towhid Hridoy (100) and Jaker Ali (68) repaired the damage by forging a masterful 154-run alliance for the sixth wicket.
Electing to bat, Bangladesh got off on the wrong foot, losing two wickets in the first two overs. Things went pear-shaped in the ninth over when Axar Patel struck off consecutive deliveries to remove Tanzid Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim to leave the Men in Green tottering at 35 for five.
It could have been even worse had Rohit not fumbled a straightforward chance off the very next delivery at first slip, which gave Jaker a reprieve and denied Axar a hat-trick.
With their backs to the wall, Hridoy and Jaker showed great application, looking to bat 50 overs without trying anything extravagant.
Once he crossed 50, Hridoy seamlessly shifted gears, collecting 30 runs off the next 14 deliveries, raining sixes and fours. As he neared his landmark, the 24-year-old started cramping up badly, limping across the pitch, but eventually got there in the penultimate over.
Though his efforts gave something for his side to bowl at, it was never going to be enough against a strong Indian batting line-up.
Published – February 20, 2025 10:40 pm IST
