Perfect tune-up

London: A supremely assertive India XI on Tuesday humiliated Bangladesh XI by 240 runs in a warm-up game and geared up for the ICC Champions Trophy in an emphatic fashion, sounding a warning for Pakistan.

Playing in their second warm-up match, the defending champions made short work of their sub-continental neighbours bowling them out for 84 in 23.5 overs at the Oval after piling up 324/7.

An all-win record in warm-up games is the ideal preparation ahead of the marquee clash on June 4. It was an all-round performance with some solid batting backed up by hostile opening spell from Umesh Yadav (3/16 in 5 overs) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/13 in 5 overs). Among batsmen, Dinesh Karthik made a strong case for a middle-order slot with a stylish 94 off 77 balls. Shikhar Dhawan (60) got runs under his belt against a quality Bangladesh attack comprising Mustafizur Rahaman (1/53), Rubel Hossain (3/50) and Taskin Ahmed (0/45).

Hardik Pandya showed his utility as an all-rounder with an equally impactful unbeaten 80 off 54 balls, which was laced with six boundaries and four huge sixes in the arc between mid-wicket and long-on.

When their turn to bat came, Bangladesh XI surrendered meekly in the face of some outstanding bowling by the Indian pacers.

The pace duo of Umesh and Bhuvneshwar posed tough questions by relentlessly bowling just outside the off-stump. Yadav, who can also hit the deck hard, bowled a lethal first spell, tormenting the clueless Bangladeshi batsmen.

While India XI put themselves in a strong position by notching up 324, the match was as good as over when the Men in Blue reduced Bangladesh to 22/6 in only the eighth over of the innings.

Yadav provided the first breakthrough when he had Soumya Sarkar caught behind with one that swung away.  

Scoreboard
India XI: R. Sharma b Rubel Hossain 1, S. Dhawan c Mehedi Hasan Miraz b Sunzamul 60, A. Rahane b Mustafizur 11, D. Karthik (retired out) 94, K. Jadhav b Sunzamul 31, H. Pandya (not out) 80, R. Jadeja c Shakib Al Hasan b Hossain 32, R. Ashwin b Hossain 5, B. Kumar (not out) 1. Extras: (lb 1, w 7, nb 1) 9. Total: (for 7 wkts, in 50 overs) 324.
FoW: 1-3, 2-21, 3-121, 4-196, 5-208, 6-294, 7-315.
Bowling: Mustafizur 8-0-53-1 (2w), Rubel 9-0-50-3, Taskin 6-0-45-0 (1nb, 2w), Soumya 1-0-10-0, Mehedi 9-1-39-0 (1w), Sunzamul 9-0-74-2 (1w), Mosaddek 5-1-29-0, Shakib 3-0-23-0 (1w)

Bangladesh XI: I. Kayes c Yadav b Kumar 7, S. Sarkar c Karthik b Yadav 2, S. Rahman b Yadav 0, M. Rahim c Jadeja b Shami 13, Shakib Al Hasan c Sharma b Kumar 7, Mahmudullah c Karthik b Kumar 0, Mosaddek Hossain c Karthik b Yadav 0, Mehedi Hasan c Karthik b Bumrah 24, S. Islam c Sharma b Ashwin 1, T. Ahmed (not out) 1, R. Hossain c Rahane b Pandya 0. Extras: (lb 2, w 9, nb 1) 12. Total: (in 23.5 overs) 84
FoW: 1-11, 2-11, 3-11, 4-21, 5-21, 6-22, 7-47, 8-77, 9-83
Bowling: Kumar 5-0-13-3 (1w), Yadav 5-1-16-3 (1w), Shami 6-0-17-1 (1nb, 2w), Bumrah 5-0-32-1 (4w), Pandya 1.5-0-2-1 (1w), Ashwin 1-0-2-1