Chahar 6-7 sets T20 bowling record as India beats Bangladesh
NAGPUR, India (AP) — Deepak Chahar took six wickets for seven runs on Sunday to record the best-ever bowling figures in a Twenty20 international cricket match as India won a closely fought series against Bangladesh 2-1.
India beat Bangladesh by 30 runs in their third and final Twenty20 match with medium-quick Chahar needing only 3.2 overs to destroy Bangladesh, including a yorker for the last wicket of Aminul Islam to set the record with a hat trick.
Chasing a winning target of 175, Bangladesh was bowled out for 144 in 19.2 overs.
Chahar's figures overtook Sri Lankan Ajantha Mendis' 6-8 against Zimbabwe in 2012. Chahar also overtook teammate Yuzvendra Chahal's 6-25 as the best T20I performance by an Indian bowler.
"I never thought this would happen, not even in my dreams. I have been trying to work hard since my childhood and my efforts have paid off," Chahar said. "The captain wanted me to bowl crucial overs. I always try to focus on the next ball and I keep doing that until the end of my spell."
Chahar was deadly at both ends of the Bangladesh innings, removing openers Liton Das (9) and Soumya Sarkar (0) off consecutive deliveries in the third over.
Bangladesh fought back thanks to a 98-run third-wicket stand between Mohammad Naim and Mohammad Mithun (27).
Naim top-scored for the Tigers with 81 off 48 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes. It was his first T20I half-century.
Chahar turned the game in the 13th over when he broke the Naim-Mithun partnership.
He found an able partner in allrounder Shivam Dube who chipped in with 3-30 from four overs. A key moment came in the 14th over when Dube bowled Mushfiqur Rahim for a golden duck.
Dube dismissed Naim and Afif Hossain off consecutive deliveries to put India back in charge.
The asking rate climbed and Chahar enjoyed a hat trick across two overs at the end to hand India the victory.
Earlier, Shreyas Iyer and Lokesh Rahul scored attacking half-centuries after India was put into bat and reached 174-5.
Iyer scored a career-best 62 runs off 33 balls with three fours and five sixes while Rahul made 52 off 35 balls as they rescued India's innings after a double blow early on.
India had made a poor start with big-hitting Rohit Sharma (2) and Shikhar Dhawan (19) falling cheaply.
Bangladesh won the opening T20 by seven wickets, its first-ever win over India in the T20 format. India won the second T20 by eight wickets to level the series.
The T20 series will be followed by a two-test series, the second of which will be a day-night match.
The first test begins in Indore on Nov. 14.
___
More AP cricket: www.apnews.com/Cricket and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
