Backed by a winning start, Bangladesh will take on giant-slayers Ireland in the first round of the 2016 World Twenty20 in Dharamsala today. A win will take the Tigers on the threshold of the main round in the flagship event.
Bangladesh had come into the tournament boosted with a winning momentum. The Tigers played the final of the Asia Cup T20 against India riding on victories over favourites like Sri Lanka and Pakistan. But the start of the world competition was not a sound one for Bangladesh. Although they picked up a win against the Netherlands in their first game, it had come after a tough fight.
The batting was disastrous with almost everyone failing to contribute. The only positive with the willow was opening batsman Tamim Iqbal’s unbeaten 83 which guided Bangladesh to a competitive total.
Perhaps the failure of the senior batsmen is troubling the side the most. Some runs added to the tally by Shakib al Hasan and wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim will surely aid Bangladesh’s prospects but they have been unable to do that for quite some time now. Opener Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman and Mahmudullah had also failed in the opening game and they will be on their toes to bounce back for the team.
Bangladesh in the recent past had been backed by their pace bowlers more often than not. Thanks to the pace attack, the Tigers were successful on several occasions and it was no different against the Dutch. Defending 154, the Bangladesh bowlers, especially the pacemen, put in a clinical display, eventually managing a narrow eight-run win.
The task though seems to be getting tougher with each passing day. Missing pacer Mustafzur Rahman to injury already hampered Bangladesh’s plans in the tournament. It worsened yesterday when Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny’s bowling actions came under the scanner.
Pacer Taskin and left-arm spinner Sunny following the first game were suspected of illegal bowling action by the on-field umpires and it was later informed to the International Cricket Council by the match referee. Taskin has been an essential part of the Bangladesh attack, since the Asia Cup T20, and the concern of an illegal action is expected to cut down his efficiency, thus putting a mental block in the back of his mind. There is no doubt that their availability in the remainder of the tournament is crucial. Until they face the bowling action test though, they can continue to play in the red and green colours.
On the other hand, the game is a do or die one for the Irish. They made a humiliating start, losing the first game to minnows Oman by two wickets last Wednesday. The Irish will now need to win their remaining two matches to survive in the competition. Known as giant-killers, the Irish had no concerns with the bat. Almost all the batters had chipped in with contributions, only to see the effort go in vain as the bowlers failed to defend the target.
Bangladesh and Ireland have faced each other four times with the Tigers winning on three occasions. The last time the two sides encountered each other was in 2012 in a three-match T20I series where Bangladesh white-washed the Irish.
Today’s game will be played under floodlights so the toss will be both vital and tricky, given that due is expected to cause havoc as the game progresses. The wicket in Dharamsala tends to be on the slower side and the side winning the toss will like to bat first.
The game begins at 8pm and will be telecast live on BTV, Maasranga TV, Star Sports 1 and GTV.