Earlier this year, Ben Stokes proved that the best thing about time is, it changes.  The all-rounder guided England to their maiden 50-over World Cup after redeemed himself from the terrible last over, he bowled in the 2016 World T20 final which cost his side the match. A similar thing again was again witnessed on the cricket field during the 1st T20I between India and Bangladesh. The Bangla Tigers shocked one and all and registered their first-ever victory over the Men in Blue in T20Is. Moreover, the chief architects of the victory were Mushfiqur Rahim and Skipper Mahmudullah Riyad who gave away an easy match to the Men in Blue during the 2016 T20 World Cup. Bangladesh Script History by Beating India 1st Time in a T20I match, End 8–0 Losing Streak Against Men in Blue in Shortest Format of Cricket.

The encounter was held in Bengaluru and the Bangla Tigers were supposed to chase 147 runs to cause the biggest upset of the showpiece tournament. Their victory looked on the cards when the equation came down to two runs off just three deliveries and Mushfiqur’s celebrations were already started. However, the wicket-keeper fell prey to Hardik Pandya in the fourth ball of the over and Mahmudullah also perished in the next delivery which turned the tables around. Both the batsman went for the glory shot but also managed to find the fielders in the leg-side. In the last delivery, MS Dhoni caused a brilliant run out and India clinched the match by one run. Mushfiqur Rahim Half-century Hands Bangladesh First T20I Victory by 7 Wickets Over India at Arun Jaitley Stadium.

The Bangladesh dugout was shattered as they couldn’t believe what they witnessed. Mushfiqur and the current skipper were heavily criticized for their careless shot selection which turned the complexion of the game. Three years later, the duo again got the responsibility of taking their team over the line while chasing a target against India in their own den. However, this time the duo didn’t put a foot wrong and gave Bangladesh their maiden victory over India in T20Is. The wicket-keeper batsman scored an unbeaten half-century while Skipper Mahmudullah hit a six off the fourth delivery of the last over to guide his side home.

Moreover, the victory came in the absence of veteran players like Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal. The second match of the series will be played in Rajkot on November 7. A victory in the next match will seal the series for the visitors while the Rohit Sharma-led side will aim a strong comeback. With the ICC World T20 2020 just one year away, the ongoing series is the perfect opportunity for both sides to strengthen their squad for the gala tournament.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 04, 2019 01:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).