“Tour de Force”: Gautam Gambhir hails Team India after whitewash against Bangladesh

New Delhi [India], October 13 (ANI): India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir heaped praise on his team following their marvellous performance of white-washing Bangladesh in the three-match T20I series.

Men in Blue whitewashed Bangladesh in the three-match T20 series after Sanju Samson’s blistering ton and quickfire innings by Surya and Hardik powered India to a record total of 297/6 in 20 overs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Saturday.

In response, Bangladesh managed 164/7 in their 20 overs, suffering their heaviest T20I defeat to India by 133 runs. India’s previous largest win over Bangladesh was an 86-run victory in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The former Indian cricketer took to social media and posted a picture of the series-winning team with the trophy.

“A tour de force!” the 42-year-old wrote on X.

Opting to bowl first, Bangladesh made an early breakthrough as India lost opener Abhishek Sharma (4) in the third over.

However, a 173-run partnership in 70 balls between Sanju Samson (111 off 47) and Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav (75 off 35) put India on the track for the highest total by a full-member team in T20Is.

This was also the second-highest T20I total after Nepal’s 314/3 vs Mongolia.

Sanju Samson brought up his 50 in 22 balls – the fastest by an Indian batter against Bangladesh – in the seventh over.

He targeted Rishad Hossain with five sixes and brought up India’s 150 in the 10th over. Suryakumar also reached his fifty in 23 balls in the 11th over.

Samson went on to notch his maiden T20I century in 40 balls – the second-fastest by an Indian – with a boundary off Mahedi Hasan in the 13th over. Sanju, however, was dismissed by Mustafizur Rahman in the next over.

Bangladesh had a glimmer of hope after removing Samson and Suryakumar in quick succession but Hardik Pandya (47 off 18) and Riyan Parag (34 off 13) made sure the visitors had no chance of a comeback.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib picked up three scalps and was the highest wicket-taker for Bangladesh. However, his three wickets came at a cost of 66 runs.

The Bangladesh cricket team never found the momentum needed to chase down the mammoth score after Mayank Yadav’s pace beat Parvez Hossain Emon on the first ball.

Bangladesh struck at nearly 10 runs per over till the halfway mark with Litton Das (42 off 25) and Towhid Hridoy (63* off 42) making decent contributions.

However, once the 53-run partnership was broken, Bangladeshi batters looked to play out the overs, scoring at nearly a run-a-ball in the final four overs.

Ravi Bishnoi was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 3/30 in his four overs.