Despite a promising start, Bangladesh crumbled to another defeat against India in the second T20 of the series in Delhi. An early surge by Bangladesh’s pacers saw India lose three wickets inside the powerplay, but a costly no-ball from Mahmudullah Riyad in the 9th over allowed India to regain their footing. The free hit sparked a significant shift in momentum, according to India’s Rinku Singh, who played a pivotal role in India’s 86-run victory.

Batting first after losing the toss, India initially struggled against Bangladesh’s pace attack. Taskin Ahmed, leading the charge, used variations in speed to trouble India’s top order, reducing them to 41-3. However, a remarkable partnership between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rinku Singh turned the game on its head. The pair stitched together a 108-run stand in just 49 balls, propelling India to a massive 221 runs by the end of their innings.

Reflecting on the match during the post-game press conference, Rinku Singh noted the initial challenges on the wicket. “At the start, the wicket was tricky, and we lost quick wickets. Sanju Bhai and Surya Bhai got out to balls that were gripping slightly. When I came to bat, Reddy Bhai told me to be cautious as the wicket wasn’t easy initially,” Rinku explained.

The turning point came in the 9th over when Mahmudullah bowled a no-ball, giving India a free hit. Nitish Kumar took full advantage, smashing a six that Rinku identified as the moment when the game began to turn in India’s favor. “As the wicket improved, we discussed building a partnership and punishing the bad balls. When Reddy Bhai got the free hit, the momentum shifted towards us,” Rinku remarked.

India capitalized on this momentum, with Nitish Kumar smashing 74 runs off 34 balls, including 4 boundaries and 7 sixes. Rinku contributed a quickfire 53 off 29 deliveries, and India finished their innings at 221-9.

Bangladesh’s spinners struggled throughout the match, with Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Rishad Hossain all proving expensive. Mahmudullah's no-ball was a significant misstep, and Rishad, despite picking up three wickets in his final over, conceded 55 runs in his four overs. Miraz had an equally tough outing, giving away 46 runs in his three overs.

In response, Bangladesh’s batting faltered under the pressure of a massive chase. Losing four wickets for just 46 runs, they never looked like chasing down the target. Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, and Mohammad Naim failed to get going, leaving the team in tatters. Mahmudullah fought back with 41 runs off 39 balls, but it was too little, too late, as Bangladesh ended their innings at 136-9 in 20 overs.

While Taskin Ahmed was the standout bowler for Bangladesh, picking up 2 wickets for just 16 runs in his four overs, it was not enough to stop India’s charge. Reflecting on his side's defeat, Taskin pointed to the key moments where Bangladesh let the game slip. “We started well but couldn’t maintain pressure. If we had kept them to 180-190, it might have been a different game.”

With the series already lost, Bangladesh will be playing for pride in the final T20 on Saturday, aiming to avoid a clean sweep by India. The third and final T20 match will be played in Hyderabad, with Bangladesh looking to break their streak of losses in the series so far.