Bangladesh have beaten South Africa and West Indies and have looked a good side even when they have tasted defeat in this tournament. However, when they meet India for their World Cup 2019 encounter on Tuesday at Edgbaston, Bangladesh will need to focus on what still can be done rather than crying over spilt milk.
Against India, they find an opponent that might seem intimidating at first but who have their own set of weaknesses namely their middle and lower order.
These weaknesses worsened and exaggerated by injuries have made Bangladesh’s target a lot clearer and focused. Getting early wickets is the key to beat India and somehow managing to dismiss Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – the two players who have scored more than 800 runs between them in the tournament.
However, that would be quite a task in itself. Not to forget India’s bowling, which has suddenly become India’s strength over the years and that they no longer remain just a batting heavy side which they used to be once upon a time.
However, Bangladesh meet India at just about the perfect time for them to exploit India’s weaknesses. India’s weaknesses have been exposed against England, they can no longer boast of being the unbeaten side of the tournament and they are playing their second match in three days – all these factors will play a major role in how the game progresses.
In sharp contrast to this, Bangladesh will play a match after an eight-day gap, having trained, rested and recovered from all kinds of niggles. Their batsmen are in prime form and their star Shakib Al Hasan is having one of the best World Cup performances that we have ever witnessed on the World Cup stage.
Add to that, Bangladesh look a far better bowling unit on a bit of a slow surface and Edgbaston will provide them with just that.
The last three times India and Bangladesh have met in an ICC event (ICC World Cup 2015, ICC World T20 2016, ICC Champions Trophy 2017) Bangladesh have scared India big time but on all these occasions, India have somehow managed to hold their nerves and edge past Bangladesh, They are a team who know how to win.
But, will Birmingham witness Bangladesh tigers roar and stay alive in the competition or would the Indians continue to edge past Bangladesh in crucial moments? We will wait and see.
The teams meet at Edgbaston Cricket Ground. Live action begins from 3 pm (IST) onwards.
Squads
India: Virat Kohli (c), Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami, Vijay Shankar, Rohit Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav
Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Abu Jayed, Liton Das (wk), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Mithun, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mosaddek Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal