Fielding woes for India? Two dropped catches shift momentum to Bangladesh

What began as a dominant display by India in their opening Champions Trophy clash against Bangladesh quickly descended into a tense and frustrating affair. Despite an early burst of brilliance from the Indian pacers, the Men in Blue failed to capitalize on their early breakthroughs, giving the Bangla Tigers a window to build their innings when they seemed to be on the brink of collapse.  Check India vs Bangladesh live score, match updates and full scorecard here | ICC CHampions Trophy 2025

 

Mohammad Shami and Harshit Rana were in lethal form, dismantling Bangladesh’s top-order with ease. Shami’s first strike came when he dismissed Soumay Sarkar for a duck, while Harshit Rana followed up by sending Bangladesh’s captain, Shanto, packing for the same score. Shami continued to shine, removing Mehidy Hasan Miraz cheaply for just five runs, and it seemed like India would steamroll their opponents early on.    Dropped catches disrupt India's strong start against Bangladesh

 

Then came a moment of sheer brilliance from Axar Patel. In a stunning spell, the all-rounder took two wickets in two balls during his very first over, sending Tanzid Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim back to the pavilion, both caught behind by KL Rahul in the 9th over. The stadium buzzed with excitement as the possibility of a historic hat-trick loomed. Axar had a chance to become the first-ever Indian to claim a hat-trick in the prestigious Champions Trophy – but fate had other plans.

 

The scene was set perfectly. Rohit Sharma stood in first slip, with a second slip and leg slip positioned around him, ready to pounce. Axar delivered a loopy ball, pitched on off-stump, and Jaker Ali, at the crease, attempted to defend. The ball flew off Ali’s bat and rose perfectly towards Rohit. But despite being in the right spot, the catch inexplicably slipped through his fingers. The chance was gone in an instant.  Check India vs Bangladesh live score, match updates and full scorecard here | ICC CHampions Trophy 2025

 

Rohit, visibly frustrated, dropped his head and apologized to Axar with folded hands. The disappointment was palpable, with Indian players and fans stunned at the missed opportunity. It was a moment that could have changed the course of the game.

 

But the drama didn’t end there as Hardik Pandya, under pressure, dropped an easy catch off Jaker Ali when he was on just 21 runs. The missed chances gave Bangladesh a glimmer of hope. Ali and Hridoy, seizing the opportunity, built a 60-run partnership by the 26th over, giving their side vital runs and momentum when India should have put them under pressure.