Gambhir ton helps India to 46-run win

CRICKET: DHAKA, May 12 - Gautam Gambhir scored a stylish 101 to help India beat Bangladesh by 46 runs in the second one-day international on Saturday and take a winning 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Replying to India's score of 284 for eight, Bangladesh reached 238 for nine in the their 49 overs in a match shortened because of morning rain.

Skipper Habibul Bashar (43), Mashrafe Mortaza (42), Aftab Ahmed (40) and Mushfiqur Rahim (35) contributed to the Bangladesh score without producing a decisive knock.

Spinner Piyush Chawla took three for 37 while pacer Zaheer Khan and spinner Yuvraj Singh took two apiece.

Mortaza delighted the local crowd hitting five sixes including four in a row off Dinesh Mongia. He scored his 42 off 22 deliveries.

But it was not enough to catch India who had won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Virender Sehwag (21) and Gambhir put on 43 before Sehwag was caught by Javed Omar at mid-off off paceman Syed Rasel.

Gambhir was involved in three more productive partnerships before he was the fourth wicket to fall, bowled by Rasel with the score on 210.

(REUTERS)