With the T20 series already sealed, India came out all guns blazing in the third game against Bangladesh, delivering a commanding performance with the bat. Sanju Samson stole the spotlight with a blistering 111 off just 47 balls, supported by captain Suryakumar Yadav’s powerful 75. Riyan Parag and Hardik Pandya carried the momentum, propelling India to a record 297/6. It was the highest T20I total in a match featuring two Test-playing nations. Bangladesh managed only 164/7, falling 133 runs short, which is a huge margin in this format.
The Indian team got off to a flying start, with Sanju taking charge early on. His partner, Abhishek Sharma, fell for just four to a sharp and short delivery from Tanzim Hasan. Bangladesh would have hoped to capitalise on that breakthrough, but things unraveled differently, when Surya joined Sanju at the crease. The duo complemented each other, dismantling the Bangladeshi bowlers and sending the ball to all corners of the ground. India stormed to 82 in the first six overs, making their aggressive intent clear.
The standout feature of Sanju’s innings was his clarity of thought and precise shot selection —qualities that had eluded him in earlier outings. He seemed to be hitting sixes at will, with every plan the bowlers tried backfiring spectacularly. It’s rare for Surya’s brilliance to take a backseat, but Sanju’s knock was nothing short of extraordinary, as he relentlessly punished the attack. The pair brought up the hundred-run partnership in style, with Sanju hammering Rishad Hossain for five consecutive sixes, leaving Bangladesh reeling and propelling India to a colossal 152 in just 10 overs.
The onslaught showed no signs of slowing down, as Sanju raced to his maiden T20I century in just 40 balls. His scintillating knock came to an end at 111, when Mustafizur Rahman outfoxed him with a slower delivery. Surya followed soon after, dismissed by Mahmudullah for a brilliant 75. With India firmly in control, Pandya and Riyan carried the momentum forward, playing fearless cricket. Pandya, in particular, displayed breathtaking power with some jaw-dropping strokes. Although the wickets of these two and Nitish Kumar Reddy fell in the final overs, the damage was already done, as India posted a staggering 297/6.
The Indian dominance continued with the ball, as Mayank Yadav struck gold with his first delivery, dismissing Parvez Hossain Emon. Bangladesh struggled to find momentum, losing their second wicket in the third over, when Washington Sundar removed Tanzid Hasan. After a few runs coming in the middle, Ravi Bishnoi outfoxed Najmul Hossain Shanto, deepening Bangladesh’s troubles at 59/3 by the end of the powerplay. Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy tried to stabilise the innings by rotating the strike and finding occasional boundaries. However, in an attempt to accelerate, Das was caught in the deep, handing Bishnoi his second wicket. By the end of 15 overs, Bangladesh were struggling at 130/5, with new batter Mahmudullah unable to stay at the crease for long.
With the run rate pressure mounting and limited batting depth, Bangladesh was choked out of the contest, eventually falling short by 133 runs. Hridoy fought valiantly with a well-made 63, helping Bangladesh reach 164/7, but it was not enough to challenge India’s massive total.
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