Dhaka, Dec. 25: Ravichandran Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer saved India from an embarrassing defeat by pulling them from a deep 74 for 7 to chase down a target of 145 before lunch on the fourth morning of the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka. 2-0 series win.  India were just past the halfway mark when Mehidy Hasan Miraz dislodged Axar Patel’s leg stump for his fifth wicket of the innings, which was increasingly looking like a target beyond them. Leading by 45 for 4, India had Jaydev Unadkat lbw to Shakib Al Hasan, and had also burnt a review trying to save the nightwatchman.

Bangladesh had said after the third day’s play that Rishabh Pant would be the key batsman, and the wicketkeeper showed why, with a reverse sweep and sweep off Shakib from the same spot to spoil the hosts’ grounds. But the tireless Mehdi soon got her man; Bowling a tight line from round the wicket, one with turn and the other going straight, Mahedi trapped Pant in front, who didn’t turn. It was so harsh that Pant didn’t even take a review.  Axar had come in ahead of Virat Kohli at No.4 on the third evening and while the specialists were trapped, he played a powerfully useful innings, defending stoutly and punching the spinners off the back foot for boundaries. But in his next over, Mehdi slid in another straighter that hit the pads on Akshar’s leg stump. And within half an hour of day one, India were down to their last recognized batting pair.

Mehdi continued to cause problems, but Mominul Haque – he had taken two fine catches of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli at forward short leg – had a decidedly more direct chance off Ashwin, who was only on 1 at the time.

Somebody had to bell the cat eventually, and it was Shreyas Iyer who took the initiative. He hit Mehdi for a couple of boundaries through cover, and danced down the track to loft Shakib over mid-off, with the risk of perhaps throwing away India’s last chance if he got it wrong. He fetches the short ball immediately and Iyer rocks it back over midwicket to pull it for another four.

At 113 for 6 in their second innings, Bangladesh’s counter-attack had begun around this stage, as the old ball had turned soft and was not far off the pitch.

Bangladesh get some pace off Khalid Ahmed but now Ashwin gets him right off his pads and then edges him for two fours between slip and gully. It was a short chase after all, and in no time, the partnership had crossed 50 and India were motoring to victory. Ashwin accelerated the end in style, pulling, lofting and whipping Mehidy for three fours in an over to score the winning run.

Ashwin was adjudged player of the match for his six wickets and 42 not out in the chase. He said, ‘We didn’t have much batting left. It was one of those games where we let the game flow whenever we could turn it off. Shreyas batted brilliantly. Sometimes in these conditions you feel you have to get ahead of things, he bowled a good line and I thought we didn’t have enough confidence in our defence. Liked the way Shreyas batted. I felt the ball got really soft very quickly. Credit to Bangladesh, they put us under real pressure at certain moments.-Agencies