The humidity of Dhaka hit them the moment the automatic doors of the airport slid open. It wasn't the salty breeze of Mumbai; it was a heavy, stifling blanket of air that smelled of exhaust fumes, spices, and the sweat of fifteen million people.
Siddanth Deva adjusted his sunglasses as he stepped onto the team bus. The streets of Mirpur were painted green and red. The Tigers—Bangladesh—were at home, and their fans were notoriously passionate. But the real threat in this Tri-Nation Tournament wasn't the hosts; it was the old enemy, Sri Lanka, led by the astute Kumar Sangakkara.
Match 1
Opponent: Sri Lanka
Venue: Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur.
Toss: Sri Lanka won and elected to bowl.
The lights of the Sher-e-Bangla were glaring down as Deva walked out to bat in the 8th over. Virender Sehwag had just departed for a quickfire 20, slicing a catch to point.
Deva marked his guard, tapping the pitch. It was slow. The ball was gripping.
Deva settled in. He played a measured innings. He knew that on this pitch, 260 was a winning score. He rotated the strike with Gambhir, picking off the singles against the spinners, Herath and Randiv.
He reached a well-constructed 45 off 52 balls before he tried to accelerate. He stepped out to Chanaka Welegedara, looking to loft him over mid-off, but the ball stopped on him slightly. The timing was off. The bat turned in his hand.
Caught at mid-off.
India stumbled to 279/9 in their 50 overs. A competitive total, or so they thought.
The second innings was a masterclass by the Sri Lankan top order.
Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan didn't panic. They didn't slog. They just pierced the gaps.
Dhoni rotated his bowlers. Zaheer Khan bowled tight lines. Harbhajan Singh tried to tempt them with a flight. But the dew had set in. The ball was like a bar of soap.
Deva was given the ball in the 35th over. He tried his cutters, his slower balls.
Thilan Samaraweera read them all.
With 12 balls remaining, Thilan Kandamby drove Ashish Nehra through the covers for four.
Sri Lanka won by 5 wickets.
The Indian dressing room was silent.
"We were 20 runs short," Dhoni said calmly, peeling off his pads. "And the fielding was sloppy. We gave them too many twos."
"Next one," Yuvraj Singh said, patting Deva's back. "Bangladesh. No mercy."
Match 2
Opponent: Bangladesh
Venue: Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur.
Toss: Bangladesh won and elected to bat.
This was a trap game. The crowd was deafening. Every single taken by a Bangladeshi batsman was cheered like a century.
Tamim Iqbal came out firing, smashing Zaheer Khan for two boundaries in the first over. The "Bangla Tigers" were roaring.
They posted a tricky 296/6. On a slow Mirpur track, chasing nearly 300 under lights was a nightmare. The spinners—Shakib Al Hasan and Abdur Razzak—were waiting.
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India lost Gambhir early again. 18/1.
Deva walked out at Number 3. The noise was physical. He could feel the vibrations in his chest.
He looked at the scoreboard. 279 needed.
He looked at Sehwag.
"Viru-paa Let's quieten them," Deva said.
He didn't attack. He surgically dismantled them.
When Shakib bowled short, Deva rocked back and pulled him along the ground.
When Razzak flighted it, Deva used his feet to turn it into a full toss, driving it to long-on.
He built a partnership with Sehwag, and then with Virat Kohli.
Deva was the anchor. He absorbed the pressure.
He reached his 50. Then his 70.
In the 42nd Over, with 60 runs needed, Deva decided it was time.
He targeted Mashrafe Mortaza.
Six over long-off.
Four through square leg.
The crowd went silent. The "Deva" chant from the small pocket of Indian fans began to rise.
Deva fell for a brilliant 82, tiredly edging a cutter to the keeper.
But the job was done.
MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina finished it off.
With 16 balls remaining, Raina smashed a six over mid-wicket.
India Won by 6 wickets.
Deva walked off, wiping sweat from his brow. 1 Win. 1 Loss. They were alive.
Match 3
Opponent: Sri Lanka
Context: Must-win for momentum. Gambhir is out of the playing XI.
Change: Rohit Sharma promoted to open.
"Rohit," Dhoni said in the team meeting. "You're opening with Viru. Just play your natural game. Don't worry about the new ball."
Sri Lanka batted first.
This time, the Indian bowlers were breathing fire. Zaheer Khan found swing. Sreesanth was aggressive.
Sri Lanka was skittled out for 213. It was a below-par score on a fresh pitch.
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Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma walked out.
If Sehwag was the hammer, Rohit was the scalpel.
Sehwag bludgeoned a few boundaries and then got out for 30.
India: 45/1.
Enter Deva.
He joined Rohit in the middle.
What followed was an exhibition of elegance.
Rohit Sharma, batting with the freedom of an opener, was a sight to behold. His pull shots off Malinga were poetry. He had that extra split second that great players possess.
Deva played the perfect supporting role. He realised Rohit was in "The Zone."
Deva rotated strike, giving Rohit the bowling.
When Deva did face the ball, he was ruthless against the spinners, using his feet to negate Herath.
Rohit reached his 50 effortlessly.
Deva reached his 30, then 40.
They were racing towards the target.
In the 25th over, Rohit stepped out and lofted Randiv inside-out over extra cover.
Caught!
Rohit 71 Out.
But the match was already in India's favour.
India Won by 8 wickets.
Balls Remaining: 104.
It was a demolition. A statement. India had chased down the total in just 32.4 overs.
As they walked back, Dhoni was waiting at the boundary ropes, smiling.
"That," Dhoni said, "is how you chase."
Match 4
Opponent: Bangladesh
Context: Both India and Sri Lanka had qualified for the Final. This was a dead rubber.
Changes: Sehwag rested. Dinesh Karthik brought in to open with Rohit.
The pressure was off, but the intensity remained. Bangladesh wanted to beat India at home to salvage pride.
Bangladesh batted first. Imrul Kayes and Mahmudullah played well, dragging the score to 247/6.
It was a tricky total—not too high, not too low. Just enough to be annoying if you lost early wickets.
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Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik walked out.
Karthik was busy. He fidgeted, he ran hard, he swept.
Rohit was languid. He stood tall and punched the ball.
They gave India a solid start of 60 runs.
Karthik fell for 34.
India: 64/1.
Enter Deva.
The crowd booed him. They remembered his 82 from the previous match.
Deva smiled under his helmet. He loved it.
He joined Rohit.
"Same plan?" Deva asked.
"Same plan," Rohit nodded. "See ball, hit ball."
But Bangladesh fought back. Shakib removed Rohit for a well-made 40.
India: 110/2.
Virat Kohli walked in at 4.
"Don't let Shakib settle," Deva told Virat. "He's bowling flat. Use the depth."
Deva anchored the innings. He didn't take risks. He played the percentages.
He reached his 50. Consistency was becoming his middle name.
Kohli played some crisp shots but got out for 35.
India: 180/3.
MS Dhoni joined Deva.
"Finish it, Sid," Dhoni said. "Stay till the end."
Deva nodded.
He shifted gears in the 40th over.
He targeted the medium pacer, Rubel Hossain.
Pull shot for four.
Straight drive for four.
The required run rate dropped below 3.
In the 43rd Over, Deva pushed a single.
Dhoni finished it with a signature whip through mid-wicket.
India Won by 6 wickets.
Balls Remaining: 42.
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The team gathered in the dressing room.
They had won 3 out of 4 group games. They had beaten Sri Lanka once and Bangladesh twice.
But the job wasn't done.
The Final awaited.
India vs. Sri Lanka.
The Asian Giants.
He looked up. The television in the dressing room was showing the promo for the Final.
DHONI vs SANGAKKARA.
Dhoni clapped his hands.
"Okay, boys. Fun is over. The real game is on Friday. Sri Lanka will come hard. They are hurt after the last match. We need to be ruthless. Rest up tomorrow. We train hard on Thursday."
Deva leaned back, closing his eyes.
He visualised Malinga's run-up. He visualised Murali's eyes.
He was ready.