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A fine innings of 85 from Shakib Al Hasan and a fine supporting hand from Mahmudullah took Bangladesh to a decent total in the final round-robin match of this tri-series. With Naeem Islam chipping in with a brisk 22, Bangladesh took 47 from the batting Powerplay and 95 from the final 10 overs. Mahmudullah remained unbeaten on 64.

They had slumped to 95 for 5 before Shakib and Mahmudullah added 106 from 128 balls. Shakib was dropped by MS Dhoni off Yuvraj Singh when he had made just 38 and he took advantage with some punishing strokes in the final stages of the innings. A huge six over midwicket off Ravindra Jadeja started the acceleration, and he took Amit Mishra in the same direction when he dropped one short.

There was some fortune, with a top edge clearing Dhoni for four, but there was also plenty of ability, with Sudeep Tyagi pulled for two fours and then scooped impudently down to fine leg. But when he tried to repeat the stroke against a slower ball from Ashish Nehra, he only found Dhoni's gloves.

Mahmudullah had started off with a thump over cover off Mishra, and he then lofted Nehra down to long-off for four more. Sreesanth was cut powerfully for four and Mishra lofted over long-on for six as the runs came far more freely in the final stages. Naeem swung Nehra for a six at the end and slashed another four as the sparse crowd celebrated a frenetic finish to the innings.

India had started much the better. After a maiden from Tyagi, Imrul Kayes had flailed twice through the off side as Sreesanth pitched too wide, but when he tried the same approach against Tyagi, he was caught by Virat Kohli at point. And thoughts of consolidation vanished when Mohammad Ashraful, who had already played one reckless shot to third man, decided to give Sreesanth the charge and only played on via the pads.

Raqibul Hasan played some chancy strokes, and one delightful pull off Tyagi, while Tamim Iqbal, after a cautious start, lofted Sreesanth over mid-on and then pulled him for four. But again, a wicket fell just when they could least afford it, with Tamim driving Nehra on the up to mid-off, where Tyagi took an excellent catch on the run.

Raqibul was then run out as Yuvraj managed to deflect a Shakib drive on the stumps, and though Shakib gave the fans something to cheer with some crisp strokes through the off side, Mushfiqur Rahim lobbed a slower one from Yuvraj straight to the man at cover to leave the side in disarray with half the overs remaining. Honour was subsequently restored, but with dew such a factor and the pitch so placid, it was unlikely to be enough.