India put in their most clinical effort of the series to beat Bangladesh by 30 runs and win the three-match T20 series 2-1 in Nagpur on Sunday.
Seamer Deepak Chahar took a sensational hat-trick across two overs and ended up with world record figures of 6-7 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 144 in 19.2 overs chasing India's total of 174-5.
While India's win was set up by a brilliant 62 off just 33 balls from Shreyas Iyer, it was Chahar who sole the show with his figures now the best in T20 Internationals, beating 6-8 by Sri Lanka's Ajantha Mendis.
Top order wobble
It was not an ideal start for India a difficult pitch. Captain Rohit Sharma got bowled off an inside edge while fellow opener Shikhar Dhawan skied one to mid wicket as the hosts struggled to get going at 35-2 in the sixth over.
Luckily for India, KL Rahul held things together. Taking calculated risks, Rahul upped the scoring rate during his 52 off 35 balls that included seven hits to the fence. By the time he departed, India were at a healthy 94-3 in the 13th over.
Iyer opens up
Iyer is one of the more complete batsmen in the Indian line-up. Bringing his ODI form to the T20 series, Iyer followed two scores of 20s in the first two matches with a superlative 62 that took the total to well above average.
The right-hand batsman hit just three fours but smashed five sixes – three of them in a row against Afif Hossain – as the hosts collected 65 runs in the last six overs.
It could have been so different for Bangladesh. Iyer was yet to open his account when he sliced seamer Shafiul Islam straight at point where Aminul Islam dropped the simplest of chances. Iyer made the Tigers pay for the lapse and just like that, an opportunity to register a rare series win in India went up in smoke.
Chahar hat-trick trumps Naim’s brilliance
Seamer Chahar has been on the money this series and didn’t disappoint in the decider. Two wickets in two balls in the third over derailed Bangladesh’s chase of 175.
Opener Mohammed Naim has shown some spark at the top of the order and was at it again on Sunday, targeting spinners and seamers alike during his innings of 81.
The Tigers tried to keep up with the required rate but 101 were needed from the last 10 overs. Only two Bangladesh batsmen reached double digits but that didn't stop Naim from hoping. His innings took just 48 balls but it was not enough.
All-rounder Shivam Dube (3-30) struck two crucial blows – castling Mushfiqur Rahim first ball in the 14th over before uprooting the off stump of Naim with a fine yorker in the 16th – to effectively end the contest.
Chahar finished up from the other end. The wicket of Shafiul Islam off the last ball of the 18th over followed by scalps of Mustafizur Rahman and Aminul – a perfect yorker on off-stump – in the first two balls of the 20th gave Chahar a hat-trick and figures of 6-7 in 3.2 overs.
