India avoid whitewash with crushing win over Bangladesh

India earned a consolation 77-run win in the third one-day international against Bangladesh to avoid a whitewash in a three-match series in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Spinners Suresh Raina (3-45) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2-35) shared five wickets as Bangladesh, replying to India’s 317-6, were shot out for 240 in 47 overs.

The defeat at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium ended Bangladesh’s 10-match unbeaten run on home soil that began in November 2014.

The home side claimed the series 2-1 owing to their wins in the first two matches respectively by 79 runs and six wickets.

“It was the best series of my career,” Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza said in a post-match press conference.

“We have achieved more than what we had dreamt of before the series. We had the chance to achieve more, but we could not do so because of some mistakes.”

“We lost too many wickets at crucial times.”

Set a mammoth target, Bangladesh suffered a blow when opener Tamim Iqbal was judged leg before for five in the second over off Dhawal Kulkarni.

Sabbir Rahman made the highest score for Bangladesh with 43 as the side lost a wicket whenever a partnership was developing.

Soumya Sarkar (40), Litton Das (34), Nasir Hossain (32) Mushfiqur Rahim (24) and Shakib Al Hasan (20) were all guilty of throwing their wickets away.

Kulkarni claimed 2-34 while Stuart Binny, Axar Patel and Ambati Rayudu chipped in with wickets as India finally managed to dominate a game after the embarrassing series loss.

Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan made 75 and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni added 69 as India posted a challenging total.

Mortaza took three wickets for Bangladesh but conceded 76 runs in the process after he elected to field first.

Rohit Sharma gave India a positive start before he was picked up by left-arm paceman Mustafizur Rahman for the third time in the series for 29.

Shakib bowled Virat Kohli for 25 to end his 75-run stand with Dhawan, who later became the victim of a stunning Nasir Hossain catch at short mid-wicket off Mortaza.

Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu did not let the momentum slip as they put on 93 for the fourth wicket.

Rayudu was unlucky to miss out on his half-century when he was given out caught behind off Mortaza for 44. Replays suggested the ball hit only his thigh pad.

Bangladesh managed to get rid of Dhoni before he became yet more dangerous when Mustafizur took a catch at deep midwicket off Mortaza.

Dhoni, who promoted himself to number four in the batting order for the second time in the series, faced 77 balls for his innings that included six fours and a six.

Raina added a quick-fire 38 off 21 balls, helping India past the 300-run mark.

“We batted really well as a group,” said man of the match Raina.

“MS and Shikhar had a good partnership. MS took the responsibility. And then I and Stuart had a good partnership.

“Dhawal started off the bowling well, and me and Ash (Ashwin) followed up on it. We played really well today, that’s the positive we will take from here.”

Mustafizur bowled Raina to finish with 2-57 and take his tally to 13 in the series and become man of the series