“Considering the volume of rain, they remarkably resumed the game swiftly. It’s evident (Zaahir si baat hai). ICC … India is playing, that pressure, there are many factors involved in this,” shared former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi with Samaa TV.

At one point, Bangladesh was in a commanding position, putting up a brave fight and unsettling India, reaching 66 for no loss in seven overs when rain interrupted play. Shortly after the rain subsided, the umpires assessed the ground and declared it ready for play to resume after a 30-minute delay.

“The Bangladesh players were hesitant to take the field, aware that they were ahead according to the Duckworth-Lewis calculations. While Rohit and their captain Shakib al Hasan engaged in discussions with the umpires, the dugout was buzzing with frantic activity,” revealed a team member.

As the rain reduced to a drizzle, both captains were called for a discussion by the umpires. Although the Bangladesh camp initially sent their team manager, the umpires insisted on Shakib’s presence. Those in the know state that the umpires informed the captains about the revised target: Bangladesh now needed 151 runs from 16 overs. Shakib, animatedly discussing the wet outfield with umpire Erasmus, expressed concerns.

Later in the day, when asked if he was reluctant to take the field after the rain break, Shakib replied, “Do we have any option?” When questioned about trying to convince Rohit and the umpires, Shakib expressed helplessness, saying, “Convince whom? Do I have the ability to convince the umpires?”

Shakib acknowledged the slippery conditions, noting that it favored batting over bowling. He highlighted the significance of Litton’s run-out and mentioned, “We lost momentum after the rain. But you can’t control rain. We were close, but not close enough.”