Though Bangladesh, the International Cricket Council (ICC) Trophy champions, ended up on the losing side, which also could put paid to their aspirations of making to the summit clash, they can draw satisfaction from the fact that they went down with a fight.

The Indian openers Navjot Singh Sidhu (41: 52b, 77m, 7x4) and Sachin Tendulkar (33: 29b, 48m, 6x4) had raised visions of a big victory when they returned unconquered at the dinner break with 45 runs on the board off just six overs.

However, Tendulkar's departure after an opening wicket stand of 72 runs in the 10th over, triggered a slide that saw five wickets falling for the addition ofjust 35 runs. The run-rate too dipped, resulting in the next 42 runs coming off as many as 19.3 overs, before Robin Singh posted victory by pulling medium-pacer Khaled Mahmud for a single.

Left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique troubled the Indians most to return the best economical figures by a Bangladesh bowler. The 31-year-old all-rounder's analysis read an impressive 10-5-21-2.

Earlier, after being put into bat, Bangladesh floundered to the Indian pace and spin combination of Venkatesh Prasad and Anil Kumble. While Prasad dealt the initial blows, Kumble then tightened the noose in an unchanged miserly spell of 10-4-17-3, which fetched him the Man of the Match Award.

Had it not been for the gutsy ninth-wicket alliance of 44 runs between wicket-keeper Khalid Mashud (15 not out) and Hasibul Hossein (21), Bangladesh would well have hit a new low today. They were reeling at 71-8 at one stage with their lowest total of 92 against Zimbabwe (Nairobi, October 1997) looming large. Mashud and Hossien saved them theembarrassment to see the innings cross the three-figure mark.

Hossien used the long handle to good effect which included two boundaries off Prasad and a six off Harbhajan Singh over long-on Sachin Tendulkar ended the defiance claiming Hossien and last man Anisur Rehman off successive deliveries.

The only sore area from the Indian point of view were the 21 wides that they bowled. Mumbai seamer Paras Mhambrey, making a return to the national side after two years, was the biggest culprit bowling nine wides, six of which came in his first two overs.

The Bangladesh batsmen cut a sorry figure despite some wayward bowling by the Indians. That only three batsmen could notch double figures -- with 34 extras logging the highest contribution -- speaks for itself.

The Indian highs included two superb catches by wicket-keeper Saba Karim and Venkata Sai Laxman. While Karim dived full-length to his right to pouch a leading edge off opener Mohammad Rafique (0), Laxman plucked a one-handed catch high above his head atsilly-point to dismiss Naimur Rehman (6).

The 30,000-odd spectators that had turned up to witness an Indian batting spectacle were a disappointed lot. Some of them had even gone to the extent of applauding the Bangaldesh ninth-wicket pair in the hope that there would be something to cheer about when the Indians batted. But that was not to be.

Scoreboard

Bangladesh

Athar Ali Khan b Mhambrey 0 (22b, 33m), Mohammad Rafique c Karim b Prasad 6 (13b, 26m, 1x4), Minhazul Abedin c Laxman b Prasad 0 (8b, 19m), Aminul Islam c Jadeja b Kumble 18 (38b, 62m, 2x4), Akram Khan c & b Robin Singh 8 (30b, 44m), Naimur Rehman c Laxman b Kumble 6 (23b, 31m, 1x4), Khaled Mahmud c Karim b Prasad 7 (14b, 21m, 1x4), Khaled Mashud not out 15 (44b, 53m, 2x4), Hasibul Hossein b Tendulkar 21 (20b, 38m, 2x4, 1x6), Enamul Haq c Karim b Kumble 0 (9b, 7m), Anisur Rehman c Dravid b Tendulkar 0 (1b, 1m); Extras: (lb8, nb5, w21) 34.

Total: (all out in 36.3 overs, 172 minutes) 115.

Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Rafique, 4.3overs), 2-18 (Athar Ali, 5.5), 3-21 (Abedin, 8.1), 4-53 (Akram, 17.3), 5-55 (Islam, 18.3), 6-70 (Mahmud, 23.4), 7-71 (Rehman, 24.3), 8-71 (Haq, 27), 9-115 (Hasibul, 36.2), 10-115 (Anisur, 36.3).

Bowling: Prasad 9-2-26-3 (nb3, w5), Mhambrey 6-1-22-1 (nb1, w9), Robin Singh 6-1-16-1 (nb1, w1), Kumble 10-4-17-3 (1w), Harbhajan Singh 4-0-18-0 (w1), Tendulkar 1.3-0-8-2 (w4).

India

Navjot Singh Sidhu lbw b Mahmud 41 (52b, 77m, 7x4), Sachin Tendulkar c Islam b Khan 33 (29b, 48m, 6x4), Rahul Dravid b Rafique 1 (22b, 22m), Ajay Jadeja not out 16 (47b, 47m, 3x4), Venkata Sai Laxman c Mashud b Mahmud 4 (7b, 7m, 1x4), Saba Karim c Naimur Rehman 8 (15b, 17m, 2x4), Robin Singh not out 1 (6b, 15m); Extras: (lb3, w8, nb1) 12.

Total: (for five wickets in 29.2 overs, 119 minutes) 116.Fall of wickets: 1-72 (Tendulkar, 9.5 overs), 2-84 (Sidhu, 16.2), 3-90 (Dravid, 17.5), 4-98 (Laxman, 20), 5-107 (Karim, 25).

Bowling: Hossein 5-0-30-0 (w1), Anisur Rehman 3-0-26-0 (w6), Athar Ali Khan 4-0-24-1 (nb1), Rafique10-5-21-2, Mahmud 7.2-2-12-2.Result: Indian won by five wickets.

Man of the Match: Anil Kumble.