Hat-trick seals best-ever figures as India win

Paceman Deepak Chahar returned the best-ever bowling figures in men's T20 Internationals, taking 6-7 as India clinched their series against Bangladesh with a 30-run win in Nagpur.

Chahar, a medium-pace bowler playing in just his seventh T20 for India, finished the match with a hat-trick as Bangladesh were bowled out for 144 in 19.2 overs chasing 175 for victory.

Chahar became the first Indian bowler to get a T20 hat-trick as he went past Sri Lanka's Ajantha Mendis, whose figures of 6-8 against Zimbabwe in 2012 were the previous best in a men's T20 international.

Bangladesh's left-handed opener Mohammad Naim made 81 and put on 98 runs for the third wicket with Mohammad Mithun, who made 27, but the rest of the batting faltered in the chase.

Chahar, who wiped out the tail with a wicket on the last ball of his third over and two at the start of his fourth, was ably supported by fellow paceman Shivam Dube, who claimed three wickets.

It was a special effort by the Indian bowlers, who found it difficult to grip the ball due to the presence of late-evening dew.

"It were the bowlers who won us the game. I know how tough it was in the middle considering the dew factor," stand-in-skipper Rohit Sharma said after the win.

"But this must be one of the best comebacks in this format for India. It was easy for (Bangladesh) at one stage, with 70 needed in eight overs. But the boys showed character (and) took up the responsibility."

Chahar, who took two early wickets in successive balls as Bangladesh slipped to 2-12, broke the threatening third-wicket stand after sending back Mithun for 27.

Dube struck on the first ball of the very next over as Mushfiqur Rahim played on for a golden duck to give the medium-pacer his maiden T20 scalp.

Dube then got Naim's prized wicket with a perfect yorker that rattled the stumps of the left-hander and was on a hat-trick after getting new batsman Afif Hossain caught and bowled.

Earlier, Indian batsmen KL Rahul, who made 52, and Shreyas Iyer, who scored 62, helped the hosts reach 5-174 after being put in to bat first.

Rohit insisted his team will continue to find the right balance ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia next year.

"If we keep performing like we did today, it's going to be a big headache for (regular skipper) Virat (Kohli, who was rested for the series) and the selectors," he said.

The two teams will now play two Tests starting in Indore on November 14. Kolkata will then host India's first day-night Test, starting on November 22.

Best bowling figures in men’s T20Is

Deepak Chahar – 6-7 (3.2), Ind v Ban, Nagpur, 2019

Ajantha Mendis – 6-8 (4), SL v Zim, 2012

Ajantha Mendis – 6-16 (4), SL v Aus, 2011

Yuzvendra Chahal – 6-25 (4), Ind v Eng, 2017

Rangana Herath – 5-3 (3.3), SL v NZ, 2014