Tri Series ODI 6: Kohli Ton Gives India Facile Win Despite Bangladesh's Fightback

India had Bangladesh on the ropes. Then Bangladesh found the ropes. But fortunately for India, Bangladesh's destructive streak could be contained sufficiently for India to post a facile win in the final inconsequential match of the Idea Cup tri series at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur.

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Virat Kohli provided back-to-back innings of significance to not only build his own confidence at the international stage but to ensure that India did not falter a second time round in the round robin stage, although the outcome of the sixth and final ODI was not going to affect the finalists.

Kohli's century then was an icing on the cake for Mahendra Singh Dhoni at a time when not everything has gone their way in the first round robin. India go roaring into the final and it has to be said that while the batsmen have provided the impetus more often than not, it was because of the spunk of the bowlers, who have otherwise shown a lacklustre interest, who gave India the opportunity to pull off some authoritative wins in consecutive matches.

But the bowlers did not entirely pass the test. After having reduced Bangladesh to five down for ninety-five at only the half way mark, India allowed them to get to a more confident, respectable total of 247 and it largely due to the 106 run partnership between the Bangladesh captain, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mahmuddullah who has once again shown his handy prowess with the bat.

Shakib's eighty-five runs and Mahmudullah's sixty-four runs were testimony of the fact that the Indian bowlers have struggled to sink their teeth in to the opposition. But it also showed that Bangladesh may finally be building a team, that with exposure, could really improve upon their character and give hope that upsets could be a regular feature if they can finally raise their bar.

But the total was not enough to trouble India and another good start later in which Dinesh Karthik showed more life than he has on previous occasions, Kohli's innings needed only the support cast from Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh. And Bangladesh went down without a whisper.

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