At Chattogram’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav snuffed out Bangladesh’s resistance to deliver India a decisive 188-run victory in the first test of the two-match series. With this victory, India climbed to third place in the ICC World Test Championship standings as Bangladesh fell victim to the excellent spinners of India, losing four wickets in the first hour of the fifth day’s opening session. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, a spin-duo, took seven wickets together to destroy the hosts.
Kuldeep took three wickets, bringing his total for the game to eight, while Axar took four. With Mehidy Hasan Miraz (9) and Shakin Al Hasan (40) at the crease for the hosts, Bangladesh resumed their inning at 272/6. Mehidy blasted Mohammed Siraj through the covers in the first over of the day, while Shakib slog-swept Axar Patel for a six from the other end, giving Bangladesh a good start.
The hosts were eventually dismissed for 324 runs, though, as it only took the Indian bowlers 11.2 overs to end the second inning. Mehidy failed to swat Siraj on the up and cut one to backward point. Before Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Shakib for 84, he attacked the Indian spinners and hit a torrent of boundaries. In his subsequent over, the Chinese bowler dismissed Ebadot Hossain, and Axar caught Taijul Islam to give India a 1-0 series lead and increase their prospects of competing in the World Test Championship final.
The hosts were suffering at 272/6 at the close of the fourth day of the tournament after India scored three more times in the final session. With just four wickets remaining, 241 runs were needed to win. Shakib al Hasan (40*) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (9*) were Bangladesh’s only unbeaten players at the conclusion of the play. Kuldeep Yadav was named the game’s MVP for his eight wickets and his 40-run first inning performance.
Brief Scores: Bangladesh 150 and 324 (Zakir Hasan 100, Shakib Al Hasan 84, Axar Patel 4-77) vs India 404 and 258/2 declared (Shubman Gill 110, Cheteshwar Pujara 102*, Khaled Ahmed 1/51).