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On Friday, September 28, the final of the 14th edition of the Asia Cup was played between India and Bangladesh at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and invited Bangladesh to bat first. However, the move turned into a nightmare as Bangladesh openers Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (32 off 59) added 120 runs for the first wicket in 125 balls.

India finally managed to break the opening stand as Kedar Jadhav provided the breakthrough by getting Miraz stumped. However, Litton continued his innings and notched up his first hundred in ODIs. He held one end for his side as wickets kept falling from the other. Litton’s innings came to an end due to a controversial decision by the third umpire who adjudged him out, stumped on a marginal call.

As a result, his innings came to an end on 121 (117) where he smashed 12 fours and two sixes. Following his dismissal, Bangladesh even failed to bat out 50 overs and were bundled out for 222 in 48.3 overs. In reply, India kept on losing wickets throughout their chase as batters struggled to come to terms with the slowness of the dry wicket.

Kedar Jadhav who had earlier picked 2/41 in nine overs kept India in the game after they were 160/5 and got involved in crucial partnerships in the middle. Ravindra Jadeja (23 off 33) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (21 off 31) kept India in the chase with their stand of 45 off 56 balls after Jadhav returned to the pavilion due to a hamstring injury.

However, after Jadeja’s dismissal in the 48th over which left India in a precarious state on 212/6, Jadhav was forced to come out and bat. The situation got worse as Bhuvneshwar also departed in the next over leaving India on 214/7.

Jadhav held his nerve and stayed till the end along with Kuldeep Yadav (5 off 5) and guided India to a three-wicket win on the last ball of the match. He remained unbeaten on 23* (27) as India clinched their seventh Asia Cup title. Litton Das was awarded Player of the Match despite ending on a losing side.