Ganguly made it clear that the game would take place as planned and it was followed by a nod from skipper Sharma.
However, the air seems to have grown worse on Sunday and the Delhi District and Cricket Association (DDCA) officials are keeping their fingers crossed in a hope that the weather would be better by the time the match starts.
“The call (if the match will be played or not) has to be taken by the match referee and he will consult the umpires. They can also check with the groundstaff to decide on the fate of the match if the condition stays the way it is. But then again, you never know with the weather and things could change in the evening. But if you go by the current scenario, things are a little grim to be honest,” a senior DDCA official was quoted as saying by IANS.
IND vs BAN, 1st T20I: Match Details
Date: November 3, 2019.
Time: 7 PM IST.
Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.
IND vs BAN, 1st T20I: Match Preview
Team India, led by Rohit Sharma in the absence of Virat Kohli, have a relatively young squad in their ranks and the youngsters are expected to remain the main focus. 26-year-old Shivam Dube, in all likelihood, will make his debut after being in talks for some time owing to his exploits in the domestic circuit.
Another domestic sensation Sanju Samson has also been picked in the squad at a time when many think Rishabh Pant should be dropped. But the stand-in Indian skipper made it clear that Pant was the first-choice keeper ahead of Samson. Thus, it remains to be seen if the team management opts for the Keralite as a batsman or an experienced but out-of-form KL Rahul.
Chinaman spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has returned to the limited-overs set-up after a long break since the ICC World Cup earlier this year. Thus Rahul Chahar might have to make his way for his senior counterpart. With Deepak Chahar all set to be India’s leading pacer, the battle would be between his CSK-mate Shardul Thakur and Khaleel Ahmed for the spot of the second pacer.
For the Bangladesh side, the series comes as one of their toughest hurdles in recent times. Off-field controversies have shaken the team from its core and with senior players like Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan not in the squad, the Bangla Tigers will be fighting a battle of existence.
Skipper Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mustafizur Rahman would be key to their success. Also, the pacer’s stints with IPL franchises Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad should come in handy for the Men in Green. The onus will also be on Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar, two of the technically most sounded batsmen in their team, to raise the ante of the team upfront.
IND vs BAN, 1st T20I: Probable Starting XI
India: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shivam Dube, Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur/Khaleel Ahmed.
Bangladesh: Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Naim, Mushfiqur Rahim (WK), Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Afif Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Mustafizur Rahman, Al-Amin, Taijul Islam.