Dinesh Karthik reacts as KL Rahul, Washington Sundar gave breathers to Mehidy Hasan Miraz

Dhaka, Dec 5: Despite bringing themselves in the driver's seat in a low-scoring thriller against Bangladesh in the opening ODI, Team India failed to handle the pressure well in the last few overs and lost the game by a slender 1-wicket margin at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur on Sunday (December 4).

Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who scored an unbeaten 38, helped his team stun India with his valiant partnership of 51 (not out) with number 10 batter Mustafizur Rahman.

Dropped catch from Rahul hurt India

India vice-captain KL Rahul was lauded for the lone battle he waged with the bat when the top order collapsed. The right-handed batter scored 73 and helped India post 186 in front of Bangladesh's disciplined bowling. Former India opener Wasim Jaffer while interacting with ESPNCricinfo said, "Rahul did 99 per cent of the things correctly in the game but that 1 per cent of wrong, cost India the match."

Jaffer was referring to the dropped catch of Mehidy Hasan Miraz by Rahul - who was performing the wicketkeeper's duties in the game. Later, all-rounder, Washington Sundar didn't go for a catch of Miraz in the deep giving the batter another lifeline. Had any of those catches been taken, India would have managed to close the game.

Karthik on Rahul-Sundar's fielding effort

India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik too expressed his shock as Rahul and Sundar let easy chances slip through their hands. While speaking on Cricbuzz as an expert, Karthik - who was with the national side in the T20 WC 2022 - claimed possibly the pressure of the match got the better of the two which resulted in lapses in the fielding.

"Obviously KL Rahul's drop towards the end and Sundar not coming, don't know why he didn't come in. I don't know if it was because of the lights, which I wouldn't know, but if he had seen the ball, he should have gone for it. That's only a question he can answer. Overall fielding effort was 50-50. Not the best day, not the worst day either. I guess in the end, with the pressure, we left some boundaries as well," said Karthik.

Even India captain Rohit Sharma - who is generally a calm and composed customer on the field - looked furious and lost his cool and yelled at the fielders.

During the post-match press conference, Rahul admitted that India lost two catching opportunities at the end.

"That's cricket right? You have to expect the unexpected. As long as cricket has been played, these kinds of things keep happening. They fought very well till the end and a couple of dropped catches and that innings from Mehidy," he said.

Team India will be looking to come back strongly in the second ODI on Wednesday (December 7) and level the series.