India vs Bangladesh, 2nd T20I: Rohit Sharma pyrotechnics help India pull level in Rajkot

Rohit Sharma, playing his 100th T20I for India celebrated the landmark with a scintillating half-century as India beat Bangladesh by 8 wickets in Rajkot to level the 3-match series 1-1. Rohit hit 6 fours and as many sixes in his innings which lasted just 43 balls as he bludgeoned the Bangladesh bowlers to all parts of the ground in a successful chase of 154.

While his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan (31) was not looking in the best of touches, Rohit took it upon himself to kickstart the chase with two fours and a six against Mustafizur Rahman in the 4th over of the innings. Then onwards he didn't look back as he raced to his fifty off just 23 balls. Just when it looked like India could romp home without losing a wicket, Dhawan was bowled by Aminul Islam to give Bangladesh a much-needed breather.

But Rohit continued in his merry ways and at one point looked set for a hundred. But in an attempt to reach 3 figures quickly Rohit ended up skying a short one from Aminul Islam into the hands of deep mid-wicket to fall 15 short of a well-deserved 100. His replacement Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul completed the winning formalities with 4.3 overs to spare.

It was a HITMAN show in Rajkot as #TeamIndia win by 8 wickets in the 2nd T20I and level the three match series 1-1.#INDvBAN pic.twitter.com/iKqnflKpFp BCCI (@BCCI) November 7, 2019

Earlier, Yuzvendra Chahal led India's fightback after Bangladesh openers Liton Das (29 off 21 balls, 4x4) and Mohammad Naim (36) shared a 60-run opening stand. Chahal (2/28) picked up 2 wickets in the 13th over of the innings to peg back the visitors.

Chahal was also a bit unlucky early on in the innings. On his introduction, Chahal almost removed a set Liton, but Rishabh Pant's urge to complete glovework quickly gave the batsman lifeline. The TV replays showed that while whipping the bails off, Pant collected the ball in front of the stumps and hence it was declared no-ball. As per the law, every part of wicketkeeper's gloves has to be behind the stumps. Liton then got another reprieve on 26 after skipper Rohit Sharma dropped him at square-leg following a mix-up with Shivam Dube and Pant. But Pant made up for his mistake and ran Das out, with a direct hit in the eighth over, to break the opening stand.

On the other hand, Deepak Chahar (1/25) and off-spinner Washington Sundar (1/25) did manage to stem the flow of runs but Khaleel Ahmed's poor show continued. Naim slammed profligate left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed (1/44) for three successive boundaries to start on a rousing note.

Das's wicket slowed the scoring rate and that put Naim under pressure, who then gave a dolly to Shreyas Iyer at deep-mid-wicket off Washington as Bangladesh slumped were 83 for 2 in the 11th over.

And then Yuzvendra picked two wickets in the 13th over - Mushfiqur Rahim (4), who offered a sitter to Krunal Pandya and then removed a set Soumya Sarkar (30) - as Bangladesh were struggling at 103/4. Sarkar was stumped by Pant.

Mahmudullah (30) and Afif Hossain (6) tried to steady the ship with a 25 run-stand but Khaleel broke the stand dismissing Hossain to leave Bangladesh teetering at 128 for 5 and then they just managed to cross the 150-run-mark as the bowlers bowled in right areas.

(With PTI inputs)