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When Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Mauled Bangladesh In Champions Trophy Semis

Aakash Saini

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after hitting the winning runs [Source: championstrophy2025.com]Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after hitting the winning runs [Source: championstrophy2025.com]

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Team India, one of the leading contenders to win the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy in England, were left shellshocked with a 180-run humiliation at the hands of arch-rivals Pakistan in the final. However, in the lead-up to the title clash, the ‘Men in Blue’ justified their reputation as ‘multi-nation tournament giants’ by topping the Group B points table.

Even in the semifinal at Edgbaston, Virat Kohli’s Indian troops knocked Bangladesh out of the competition without breaking a sweat. Here, we take a look at the match as it transpired on that eventful Birmingham day on June 15, 2017.

When India made lightwork of Bangladesh’s formidability

Indian captain Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to field first. His premier fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar responded positively with the early wickets of Bangladesh opener Soumya Sarkar and number three Sabbir Rahman, both within the first seven overs of the match.

Senior men Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim led Bangladesh’s counterattacking fightback with blistering half-centuries, with the former chipping in with 70 fluent runs from just 82 balls. However, shortly after steering Bangladesh past the 150-run mark, a lapse of concentration on Iqbal’s part became his undoing at the hands of Indian part-timer Kedar Jadhav.

Jadhav also dismissed Rahim (61 off 85) later in the spell to record figures of 2-22 from six overs. Ravindra Jadeja snapped Shakib Al Hasan’s threatening stay, and Jasprit Bumrah picked up two wickets late in the innings before Mashrafe Mortaza’s fiery 30* lifted Bangladesh to a competitive 264-7.

Chasing a stiff 265-run total for a spot in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy finals, Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan started off with an 87-run opening partnership at run-a-ball until the latter was sent back to the pavilion by Mortaza.

Forming forces at 87-1, unbeaten Sharma and captain Virat Kohli shared an unbroken 178-run partnership to see India through in just 40.1 overs with nine wickets to spare. Kohli notched up the winning runs to finish at 96* from 78 balls, while Sharma won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for cracking 123*.