The equation was simple—India needed 100 runs to win, Bangladesh needed 6 wickets. In the morning, Bangladesh increased the chances of winning by taking 3 wickets in 7 overs. But Ravichandran Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer stood in the way.
The duo added 71 runs unbroken for the eighth wicket, India's highest partnership for that wicket against Bangladesh in the fourth innings. Ashwin, who got life by 1 run, remained unbeaten on 42 runs, India won by 3 wickets. This is India's win against Bangladesh by the smallest margin batting in the fourth innings.
Christmas morning came with the thrill of the Mirpur Test. Mehdi Hasan Miraj's third ball of the day was the first review. Nightwatchman Jaydev Unadkat went to defend keeping the bat-pad together. The ball hit the pad before the bat, but the umpire's call was made short of the wicket. Unadkat, however, did not last long after hitting a six on the very next ball, adding to Bangladesh's frustration. In the next over, Shakib was bowled on the backfoot for lbw.
Rishabh Pant, who India looked up to, came to the crease. Five fielders go over the boundary. Pant also started his natural game by reverse sweeping Shakib. But it was Miraj who won the fight with this wicketkeeper batsman. Leaning forward to defend the ball, Pant missed, Mirage started the celebration before the appeal. Pant ultimately decided not to review umpire Chris Brown's lbw decision, with ball tracking later showing that a review would have been a waste.
In the next over, Miraj took the fifth wicket of the innings. This time his victim is Akshar Patel. Looked to play on the back foot, but couldn't reach the low ball. The ball hits the stumps after hitting the character's pad. Today, Akshar pulled the short ball and hit a four, but he had to stop at 34 runs. At the time of Akshar's dismissal, India stood 71 runs away from victory.
Miraj could have got the sixth wicket as well, but Muminul could not take the catch of Ashwin at short. He took a great catch of Kohli in this position yesterday. Ashwin caught Shakib at short midwicket almost fell down in regret! Ashwin was batting at 1, India needed 65 runs. Ashwin's partnership with Shreyas Iyer then remained unbroken for the first hour.
Against the two right-handers, the job became tougher for Mirage after that, with Shreyas hitting a square drive for four right after the first water break, the first boundary of the innings in 68 balls. After two overs, Shreyas pulled Shakib to extra cover for a four over long on and hit another four. India crossed 100 in the next four. Shreyas hit Shakib with two fours in the 41st over of the innings.
Shakib brought in the pacer for the first time of the day in the 43rd over, but Ashwin hit Khaled in that over for two fours - clipped over the pads and driven. The pair of Ashwin-Iyer reached 50 runs in the next over of Khaled. Shakib removed Khaled and then brought in Miraj, but Ashwin hit the first ball loose over wide long on for a six. India's distance from victory has come down to 10 runs.
Ashwin hit a four over extra cover after doubles in the next ball. Ashwin hit another four over long-on on the last ball of the over to seal India's victory as Bangladesh sank in despair.
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