Bangladesh spinner Shakib Al Hasan grabbed three quick wickets before the third and final one-day international (ODI) against India was called off due to persistent rain.
Shakib, 27, unraveled India’s middle order after the fast bowlers had the visitors reeling at 13-3 in the day-night clash at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka.
Rain had the final say in the game, which was abandoned with India 119-9 off 34.2 overs after electing to bat.
India pocketed the series 2-0, having won the first two games by seven wickets and 47 runs respectively.
Indian skipper Suresh Raina said he was pleased with the way the youngsters in the side were shaping up ahead of next year’s World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
YOUNG HOPES
“We played good cricket, especially when you know World Cup is coming up. A lot of youngsters showed character,” he said after the match.
“I am very happy with the side, especially Stuart Binny, who bowled really well along side Mohit Sharma and Umesh Yadav [in the previous game],” he said.
The match was initially cut to 40-overs-a-side, but frequent rain interruptions left the umpires with no option except to call it off.
India were off to a shaky start with both the openers being sent back cheaply by fast bowlers Al-Amin Hossain (2-23) and Mashrafe Mortaza (1-25).
Teenage paceman Taskin Ahmed, who picked 5-28 on debut in the second ODI on Tuesday, took a wicket off his first ball to send back Ambati Rayudu for one.
Rayudu failed to read the extra bounce in the delivery and edged it straight to Mushfiqur Rahim behind the stumps.
Taskin, 19, also dismissed Akshar Patel to finish with figures of 2-15.
PACE BOWLER PRAISE
“The wicket was helping, but you still have to bowl in good areas, so credit goes to our pace bowlers, especially Taskin and Al-Amin,” skipper Rahim said.
“There are a few positives. We will work together and look to improve,” he added.
Raina appeared in fine form, hitting Al-Amin for three fours in an over to race to a-run-a-ball 25, before he was caught behind off left-arm spinner Shakib.
Shakib would have picked a fourth wicket, but his appeal for leg before wicket against Cheteshwar Pujara was turned down, despite TV replays suggesting the ball would have hit stumps. Raina added 41 runs for the fifth wicket with Pujara (27), the highest of the innings.
All-rounder Binny, coming into the game on the back of a sterling show with the ball in the second ODI, impressed during his short stint with the bat, making an unbeaten 25 with four boundaries. Binny took 6-4 to help India win the second match by 47 runs, despite defending a paltry 105.
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