New Delhi, Oct 9 (PTI) The promising Nitish Kumar Reddy played the most attractive innings of his nascent career while Rinku Singh too sizzled with a blistering fifty as India posted 221/9 in the second T20I against Bangladesh here on Wednesday.
Reddy (74 off 34 balls) and Rinku (53 off 29) put up a crucial 108-run stand for the fourth wicket to pull India out of a precarious position.
Put into bat, the Indian top-order was outfoxed by the pace trio of Tanzim Hasan, Mustafizur Rehman and Taskin Ahmed. They varied their pace to get the desired results.
Bangladesh started the inning with some spin in the form of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Sanju Samson punished the off-spinner with back-to-back boundaries to plunder 15 runs from the first over.
But Samson bungled up his start, getting out to Taskin.
After only two runs in the second over, Abhishek Sharma slammed back-to-back boundaries and looked to slog Tanzim Hasan but the 147kmph delivery induced an inside edge, which resulted in his off-stump cartwheeling.
Shanto introduced Mustafizur into the attack in the sixth over and the experienced campaigner started off with slower deliveries, with the third one paying dividends as Suryakumar Yadav chipped a cutter straight into the hands off Shanto as India lost their third wicket in the powerplay.
But Reddy blasted the Bangladesh attack to hit seven maximums and four boundaries in only 34 balls. Playing only his second T20I, he brought up his maiden fifty in 27 balls by knocking the ball toward long-on.
At the other end Rinku, who hit five boundaries and three maximums, also showcased his big-hitting prowess as he smashed the first six of the match off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain in the eighth over.
Reddy too took a liking to Rishad, pummelling three maximums in the 10th over to take India past 100.
He first clobbered one across long on. Rishad erred in his length once again and was met with similar treatment as Reddy slogged it over wide long on. The third six came behind mid wicket.
The 21-year-old was eventually sent back by Mustafizur, who bowled a slower ball once again, but not before receiving a standing ovation. PTI APA AH AH
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