For a while, Shubman Gill (121 off 133 balls; 8x4, 5x6) took the slow, turning pitch out of the equation at the R Premadasa Stadium. The opener’s timing and strokeplay were so sublime and his shot selection so perfect that Bangladesh, who had scored 265/8 in the Asia Cup Super-4 clash after half-centuries from skipper Shakib Al Hasan (80 off 85 balls; 6x4, 3x6) and Towhid Hridoy (54 off 81b; 5x4, 2x6), looked tense.
Gill is a proud owner of precise footwork which enables him to get to the pitch of the ball and loft it without losing his shape. He had watched his senior colleagues lose their shape and minds as they attempted shots that were not on, on a sluggish surface and large playing area.
