MIRPUR: India clinched the Asia Cup trophy for a record sixth time after beating hosts Bangladesh by eight wickets, riding on Shikhar Dhawan’s scintillating 44-ball-60 in a rain-truncated final, here on Sunday.
While Sri Lanka have won the continental title five times and Pakistan twice, India’s title triumph makes them the ahead of their continental neighbours. Chasing a target of 121 in a match reduced to 15-overs-a-side, Dhawan came good when it mattered the most as he hit nine fours and a six adding 94 runs with Virat Kohli (41 not out) with India winning with seven balls to spare.
In the last two overs, India required 19 runs. If the partisan 25,000 supporters harboured any hopes of a comeback, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (20 not out in 6 balls) dashed it with a lethal six over deep mid-wicket off Al-Amin and another terrific blow over deep extra cover before finishing the match with another six. (PTI)
score board
Bangladesh innings
Tamim Iqbal lbw b Bumrah 13
Soumya Sarkar c Pandya b Nehra 14
Sabbir Rahman not out 32
Shakib Al Hasan c Bumrah b Ashwin 21
Mushfiqur Rahim† run out (Kohli/†Dhoni) 4
Mashrafe Mortaza* c Kohli b Jadeja 0
Mahmudullah not out 33
Extras 3
Total 120/5
India innings
RG Sharma c Soumya Sarkar b Al-Amin Hossain 1
S Dhawan c Soumya Sarkar b Taskin Ahmed 60
V Kohli not out 41
MS Dhoni*† not out 20
Extras 0
Total 122/2