Kanpur: Team India sealed a comprehensive seven-wicket win against Bangladesh in the second Test at Kanpur, completing a 2-0 series sweep. Strong performances from the Indian bowlers, led by Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah, played a key role in restricting Bangladesh to 146 in their second innings, setting up a modest target of 95 for the hosts.
Resuming Day 4 at a precarious 26/2, Bangladesh’s resistance quickly crumbled under relentless pressure from the Indian bowling attack. Ashwin, Jadeja, and Bumrah each took three wickets, with Bangladesh unable to build significant partnerships. Their batsmen struggled to cope with the spin-friendly conditions, as India dominated throughout the match.
India’s chase began aggressively but was not without its challenges. The hosts lost two early wickets before opener Yashasvi Jaiswal steadied the innings with a well-constructed half-century. Jaiswal’s 51 laid the foundation for India’s successful pursuit, before being dismissed. Virat Kohli (27*) and Rishabh Pant (16*) then guided India to victory with seven wickets in hand.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz (2 wickets) and Taijul Islam (1 wicket) were the only bright spots for Bangladesh in the bowling department, but their efforts were not enough to stop India’s dominant performance.
The win further solidifies India’s position at the top of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) points table for the 2023-25 cycle. With eight wins in 11 matches and 98 points, India maintains a strong win percentage of 74.24. Australia, who have also recorded eight wins, trails behind India after playing an extra match.
This series sweep strengthens India’s march towards another WTC final appearance. With significant contributions across the board, India has set the pace for the rest of the tournament, widening their gap over second-placed Australia.
For Bangladesh, the defeat marks their fifth loss in eight WTC matches, dropping them from fifth to seventh place in the standings. Both South Africa and New Zealand moved up after Bangladesh’s defeat. Despite early promise in the series, Bangladesh was unable to match India’s intensity and consistency.
Sri Lanka’s recent home series win against New Zealand catapulted them to third place in the standings, but India and Australia remain the favorites to qualify for the WTC final once again.
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