Gambhir-Chawla shine as India bag series with facile win

Dhaka, May 12 (UNI) India completed mission Mirpur defeating Bangladesh by 46 runs, after scoring an imposing Gautam Gambhir-motored 284, to pocket the three-match Grameenphone ODI series two-love here today.

A delectable century by Gautam Gambhir and butter-fingered Bangladesh assured that Indians reach an imposing 284 for eight in their innings, setting a target that was always tough.

Bangladesh began on a promising note with Tamim Iqbal and Javed Omer going ballistic. However, three quick wickets for 60 runs put paid on their hopes and the hosts withered away to 238 for nine to hand India the series. Aftab Ahmed (40) and Habibul Bashar (43) had raised some late hopes.

And Mashrafe Mortaza brought in a late surge hitting Dinesh Mongia for four sixes enroute a blistering 42 off 22 balls. His innings was studded with five sixes and one four before holing out to long on off Yuvraj Singh.

But alas! An anti-climax for a series that promised so much with the Tigers coming up in leaps and bounds in recent times.

Rookie leggie Piyush Chawla showed his class taking three wickets on debut from 10 overs for 37 runs. Earlier, Dravid called correctly today and chose to bat on a wicket that looked flat and good for batting.

India went off to a steady start, but Virender Sehwag perished early. However, it was Gambhir who was to lead on today. The hosts would not be unhappy with the way things ended as India scored just 63 runs of the last nine overs and losing four wickets.

Gambhir played quite an unblemished innings as he clipped the balls on the leg for boundaries, and drove and cut with equal ease to reach 101 off 113 deliveries, before being bowled by Rasel to one that stayed low. Gambhir having completed his ton tried to open up and played all over.

He had two fruitful partnerships with Dhoni and to take India to fortify india's innings. While the former yielded 87 runs of 109 balls, the latter insured in 44 runs of just 38 deliveries.

The highlight of the innings was the way he paced it. Never looking to hurry, he went about collecting runs in singles and hit the bad balls for boundaries. Two years for his second century after the first against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad, was worth it. Skipper Dravid who came in at the fall of Yuvraj Singh, never got a chance to open up as he ran out of partners thick and fast. He remained unbeaten on 42 off 47 runs with a boundary.

The Indian openers again made a false start with Virender Sehwag showing that he does not learn his lessons that quickly. After a couple of quiet overs Shewag decided to open his arms against Sayed Rasel. He hit the bowler for a six. He mishit the nest for two runs and tried the same shot one time too many and holed out to Javed Omar for 21. India one down for 43.

In walked Dhoni and Mortaza, back from a lower back injury, fired in. He squared up Dhoni with the third delivery of the over and induced a genuine edge that fell inches away from a diving wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim. The next ball he again edged to the first slip. This time the cherry dropping a little short. Two chances given, Dhoni laboured on. The fluency of the last innings had evaporated. He hit a few boundaries al right, but there was never the confidence of the last match.

Dhoni gave his third chance during 54 ball stay on 26 with a straight forward chance of caught and bowled muffed up by Abdur Razzak. 10 runs later Dhoni's agony ended has Mushfiqur collected a fine catch off Rafique.

Yuvraj came blasted and departed. He looked to have come in with the mindset of not allowing the spinners to settle down. A defense mechanism against the turning ball that always finds him wanting.

Yuvi's 24 came of 22 balls studded with two sixes and two boundaries. But he was living dangerously. Rafique, too much of a veteran and a wily customer, dropped one short that spun and bounced. Yuvi played early into the shot and gave a dolly to the bowler. Mongia came in at a time when India needed acceleration. He scored 17 off 16 before perishing to Razzak. Kaarthick and Chawla departed in a hurry, to stem the flow of runs for India. Chawla would like to forget his debut as he was foxed by Razzak who saw him coming down and bowled one wide to be stumped.

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