Chittagong: Despite Mushfiqur Rahim’s crowd-pleasing maiden test century, Tigers could not escape defeat against the number one ranked Test team in the ICC ranking, as India won the first Test of the Idea Cup series by 113 runs on Thursday.
Bowlers Amit Mishra and Ishant Sharma shared seven wickets in India’s 113-run victory over Bangladesh in the first Test.
Leg-spinner Mishra finished with 4-92 and paceman Sharma took 3-48 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 301 in their second innings on the final day while chasing a target of 415 runs.
The only consolation for Bangladesh was an entertaining 101 by wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim, who smashed one six and 17 fours in his maiden Test century.
Rahim completed his hundred off 112 balls, the fastest by a Bangladeshi in Tests, before becoming the last man to be dismissed when he holed out in the deep off Mishra.
Rahim, 21, gave spectators plenty to cheer about with his exciting strokeplay, once hammering Sharma for 14 runs in an over and then hitting paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth for a six and a boundary off successive balls.
But Rahim’s knock came too late for Bangladesh as India were virtually assured of victory after reducing the hosts to 170-7 in the afternoon session.
Bangladesh’s chances of saving the match receded sharply when they lost three wickets in the morning after adding only 69 to their overnight total of 67-2, with Sharma taking two and part-time off-spinner Virender Sehwag one.
India strengthened their position when Mishra had Bangladeshi skipper and key batsman Shakib Al Hasan (17) caught by Sehwag at silly point a few overs after lunch.
India began on an impressive note, with Sharma removing Mohammad Ashraful and Raqibul Hasan in a lively opening spell and Sehwag dismissing well-set Tamim Iqbal (52) to put the hosts under pressure.
Iqbal, caught by Rahul Dravid in the slips just before lunch, executed some handsome shots during his 122-ball knock. He reached his third Test half-century when he reverse-swept Mishra for his sixth four.
Sharma struck in the day’s fourth over when he had Ashraful caught by Dravid at second slip after the batsman added only 11 to his overnight score of 16.
Raqibul (13) was beaten by the movement before being trapped leg-before by Sharma, leaving his team struggling at 97-4.
The second and final Test starts in Dhaka on Sunday.
