Fast bowler Deepak Chahar starred for India on Sunday in the 30-run win over Bangladesh in the third T20I in Nagpur. The right-arm bowler registered the best ever figures in the shortest format in international cricket, picking up six wickets and giving just seven runs, and also picked up a hat-trick, as India clinched the series 2-1. Speaking after the match, the 27-year-old credited stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma and the team management for backing him in crucial situations.
“I never thought of this, not even in my dreams. I have been trying to work hard since my childhood and my efforts have paid off. Rohit was planning to give me the crucial overs and the management wanted to do the same. I always focus on the next ball, I keep doing that, until I don’t complete my spell,” he said after being declared the man-of-the-match.
Shivam Dube, who was playing his first international series for India, was also pick of the bowlers for India, as he picked up three crucial wickets in the middle-vers, dismissing Mohammad Naim for 81, and the dangerous Mushfiqur Rahim and Afif Hossain for ducks.
Speaking after the match, Dube said: “First two overs, it was not good from my side. Third over, when I came to bowl, I planned not to give boundaries. Rohit bhai told me to back my strengths. I tried to bowl the heavy ball and I backed myself. There was some pressure, but there was good backing by my skipper and the support staff. They told me to back my strengths. Happy in the end.”
With KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer scoring fifties each, India posted a competitive total of 175 for Bangladesh to chase down in the series decider. In reply, the visitors could only muster 144 before being bowled out.
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