India vs Bangladesh: Remembering Bangladesh first win over India!

It would not be wrong to say that the Bangladesh national cricket team is considered one of the strongest teams in Asia after India. Recently, they delivered a major shock to India’s arch-rival Pakistan in a 2-match Test series by winning it on Pakistan's home turf. This win was both surprising and special for Bangladesh as no one expected it, especially when facing one of the strongest bowling teams in the world. However, they proved the doubters wrong through a combined team effort, ending Pakistan’s 13-match unbeaten streak.

This is not the first time the Bangladesh national cricket team has shocked the cricketing world. They have done so on several occasions, making a strong statement against their critics. Let’s look at the past incidents when Bangladesh surprised India.

Bangladesh vs India, 2nd ODI, 2004

It was the first time in international cricket that Bangladesh defeated India in a 3-match ODI series at home. This win came after losing the first match of the series by 11 runs. India was on a tour of Bangladesh in 2004, with senior players like Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, and Yuvraj Singh in the squad. The Men in Blue faced a shocking 15-run defeat in the 2nd ODI, failing to chase a modest target of 230 runs in 50 overs in Dhaka.

After winning the toss, Bangladesh opted to bat first. India made a great start by picking up 5 wickets of the home team for 88 runs, thanks to Ajit Agarkar and Zaheer Khan, who claimed 2 wickets each. However, the Bangla Tigers made a comeback when they formed a crucial 44-run partnership for the 6th wicket between Aftab Ahmed and Khaled Mashud. Later, a cameo from former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza helped the team reach a competitive total of 229 runs.

India thought they could easily chase the target with players like Yuvraj, Ganguly, and Mohammad Kaif in the squad. But their confidence crumbled when the first 3 wickets fell with just 51 runs on the board. Despite that, Kaif and Hemang Badani tried to stabilize the situation by forming a 63-run partnership for the 5th wicket. However, after the fall of Kaif’s wicket, India’s middle-order batters failed miserably, causing the team to lose by 15 runs.

Since that match, Bangladesh has surprised India multiple times in ODIs, especially in ICC events. One of the most embarrassing defeats for India came in the 2007 ICC Men's ODI World Cup, where Bangladesh defeated them by 5 wickets, knocking India out in the group stage. It was a major heartbreak for Indian fans, as the team, filled with a mix of young and senior players, couldn’t progress further. India, still recovering from this defeat, faced another setback when they lost their second match of the event to Sri Lanka.

Head-to-Head Record

In head-to-head records between these Asian teams in ODIs, India still holds a dominant position, having won 32 games out of 41 and losing only 8. Despite not having a major win, Bangladesh has consistently given tough competition to India, especially in the white-ball format. However, in Tests, Bangladesh lags far behind, as India has never lost a Test match against them.

It will be interesting to see whether Bangladesh will change these stats or if India will maintain their dominance in the upcoming 2-match ODI series, starting today in Chennai.

Bangladesh squad for the 1st Test:

Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Jaker Ali.