India has won the series against Bangladesh 2-0 at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur. This has further strengthened the grip of this team atop the WTC standings.
In the seven-wicket win, India upped its point percentage to as high as 74.24 percent, and a loss dragged Bangladesh down to the seventh spot with 34.38 percent points, behind South Africa and New Zealand. They are placed fifth and sixth, respectively.
Australia with a point percentage of 62.50 is placed second after eight wins out of 12 matches while Sri Lanka (third) and England (fourth) manage 55.56 and 42.19, respectively.
Rain badly crippled the game on the second and third day but India never lost its intention to win. Bangladesh, which had a stop-start first innings, was able to amass 233 thanks to a century by Mominul Haque (107 not out).
Playing such a short time left for India to force a result, India adopted an exceptionally aggressive approach, treating the Test like a T20 match. On Day 4, Bangladesh were treated to a historic onslaught from India's batters, who dismantled their bowling attack in a flurry of boundaries and milestones.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (72 from 51 balls) and KL Rahul (68 from 43 balls) tore the attack to shreds, with India amassing the fastest team totals in Test cricket history. Having scored the fastest 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 ever recorded in Test cricket within just 34.4 overs, India declared on 285/9 to yield a first-innings lead of 52.
Bangladesh got into early trouble in the second innings on the last day of play, but it was not going to be a smooth ride for India. The runs did start ticking by late in the day; however, more importantly, Ravichandran Ashwin struck twice in the closing overs to peg back Bangladesh, who ended the day at 36/2. This pitched up an exciting finish to the last day for the bowlers of India.
However, brought in by Ravindra Jadeja into the attack, he soon disarmed Bangladesh any hope of momentum building from there on. For, in an brilliant spell, Jadeja sent three wickets off successive overs. The new ball, thereafter, was taken up by India's strike pacer Jasprit Bumrah and took the lower order apart with a deadly display of fast bowling to take the Bangladesh innings to 146 and leave India with a target of a mere 95 to chase for the win.
Even with the meager target, India was not complacent at all with their last innings' batting and chased with less fuss at hand. From the half-century Jaiswal made off just 43 deliveries, Virat Kohli took up the match and finished it off with Rishabh Pant, who sealed the win for India with a beautiful boundary.
India easily romped to the target inside 18 overs to win by a straight seven wickets and seal the 2-0 series sweep over Bangladesh.
India will now be hosting New Zealand at home as they continue to march in WTC, while Bangladesh will look forward to regrouping as they prepare to host South Africa.
Read also| India Clinches 7-Wicket Victory Over Bangladesh, Completes Clean Sweep in Two-Test Series
