India star pondered Mankad in thriller

Ravi Ashwin has revealed that he gave fast-bowler Jasprit Bumrah a “cheeky idea” that he should attempt a Mankad in the final overs of India’s World T20 match against Bangladesh.

India got out of jail in last night’s Asia Cup final rematch, after Bangladesh, needing two to win from the last three balls of the game, lost three consecutive wickets and somehow fell one run short.

Ashwin, who picked up two wickets in a man of the match performance, praised Bumrah for making up for a dropped catch and a crucial misfield early in the Bangladesh innings by delivering two crucial death overs later on.

The off-spinner also acknowledged he’d suggested Bumrah could attempt a Mankad during his final spell.

“He had put down a catch, he was two overs for 22, he was down, but Bumrah came back for us,” he said.

“I probably gave him a cheeky idea to try a Mankad in the end. We might have taken flak, but why not. We have not probably batted well. 

“Today, (we did not look like) real contenders for the tournament, but if we improve we will be.”

Quick Single: India snatch win in final-ball thriller

It was an up-and-down game for Bumrah.

On the first ball of Bangladesh’s innings, he fumbled a routine stop at fine-leg, with the misfield gifting a boundary to Tamim Iqbal.

The young quick let Tamim off again before the powerplay was over, dropping a regulation catch off Ashwin’s bowling and when his first two overs went for 22, it looked like it wasn’t going to be Bumrah’s or India’s night.

India captain MS Dhoni reserved some strong words for the young bowler.

“In his international career, this was the first game where he was under pressure,” Dhoni said.

“I consider him slightly weak when it comes to the fielding department. Today’s game was very important and we all knew how important it was.

“Your very first ball, if you miss (your line or length) with your first ball, as a youngster you are under pressure.

“I feel that was reflected in his bowling and when he dropped a catch.”

But Dhoni said he helped to turn around Bumrah’s game with two mid-innings conversations with the inexperienced paceman.

In the first one, the Indian skipper told the quick to put his mistakes behind him and focus on his bowling plans for the final overs of the match.

When this didn’t get the reaction Dhoni was after, the veteran told reporters spoke to his young charge once more, which spurred Bumrah on to delivering two vital, miserly overs at the death, in which he didn’t concede a single boundary.

But a coy Dhoni wouldn’t divulge what he had said to Bumrah the second time around.

“I don’t want to say what I said, but it definitely worked.”

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