India set 459-run target for Bangladesh

Sport Desk: Host India declared their innings at lunch after setting a target of 459 runs for Bangladesh at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday.

India scored 158 runs for 4 in that session in 28 overs.

Earlier, India bowlers bundled out Bangladesh for 388 in the first innings to take 299-run lead on day four of the one-off Test on Sunday.

Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim led from the front as he slammed his career's fifth Test hundred and second against India.

Mushfiqur was the last man to fall and became Ravichandran Ashwin's 250th Test victim. Ashwin, thus, surpassed Australian pace legend Dennis Lillee to become fastest to claim 250 Test wickets.

Mushfiqur played a defiant knock of 127 and frustrated Indian bowlers, who were struggling to get his wicket.

Resuming the day at 322/8, overnight batsmen Rahim and Miraz forged an 87-run seventh-wicket partnership before Miraz was sent back to the pavilion by medium-pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 105th over.

The fall of Miraz's wicket brought in lower-order batsman Taijul Islam, who along with the skipper tried to reduce the huge gap of runs but failed as he was sent packing by pacer Umesh Yadav with scoreboard reading 339/8.

Taskin Ahmed and Rahim then stitched a crucial 39-run ninth-wicket partnership to get past 370 run mark.In the 125th over, Ahmed was caught by Ajinkya Rahane off Ravindra Jadeja.
Jadeja bowled a flat and quick delivery outside the off-stump to which Ahmed got a thick outside edge and Rahane completed the formalities at first slip.

The last wicket could only add 10 runs to the total score as Rahim, who played an excellent knock was taken by Ravichandran Ashwin, who became the fastest bowler to claim 250 Test wickets.

Ashwin bowled a flat carrom ball down the leg and Rahim looked to sweep but got the glove which resulted a simple catch to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha.

For India, Yadav scalped three wickets while Ashwin and Jadeja took two wickets each. Umesh Yadav (3/83 in 25 overs) was India's best bowler on display but spin twins Ashwin (2/98 in 28.5 overs) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/70 in 33 overs) didn't look incisive despite being economical on a track that is still pretty good for batting.

risingbd/Dhaka/Feb 12, 2017/A K Azad