Clinical India on cusp of big win at Chepauk
After Pant, Gill centuries, Ashwin’s triple strikes dent Bangladesh to 158/4 in 515-run chase
Ahead of the high-voltage India-Bangladesh clash in the second semi-final match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, former captains of the Bangladeshi cricket team are confident that their team will ditch the underdogs tag and reach the finals especially after their valiant performance in the last few matches.
"The way we have been playing in the last two years, it is but normal that we will play the semifinal. I hope we make it to the final," Mohammad Ashraful, who captained the minnows from 2007-2009, told Bangladeshi media.
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This is Bangladesh's first ever semi-final appearance in an ICC event that they booked after routing New Zealand by five wickets. Luck also helped the underdogs a big time as their first clash against Australia was washed off and they had to share the points.
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Bangladesh's former skipper and veteran Test batsman Habibul Bashar also feels the trophy is in sight and the country is on the brink of creating history.
"We played brilliant cricket against New Zealand. The trophy is not far away now. We have to give our best in the next two matches. I dream of Bangladesh playing the final," Bashar said.
India and Bangladesh have so far played 32 ODI matches, wherein the men in blue have outplayed the minnows winning 26 encounters and losing just five while one match ended in a tie.
India being the top-ranked team from Group B made their way to the semi-final stage after defeating Pakistan and South Africa by 124 runs (D/L) and eight wickets respectively.
The winner of the second semi-final will face the either Pakistan or England, who will lock horns in the first semi-final on Wednesday, in the final of the Champions Trophy 2017.
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