When a team is low in confidence for reasons both on and off the field, one should guard against expecting anything outstanding from that team. Unfortunately and sadly, that is the current state of Bangladesh cricket team as they face the high flying India in their second encounter of the super ten stage of the World T20 Championship at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium this evening.
The cricket-crazy fans of the nation would be hoping for a better display today as the Tigers look to put the disappointments of losing against Hong Kong and West Indies behind them and roar back to their vintage best. The main challenge for the Tigers would be to actually gather mental strength which they have been lacking recently. They must know a win today will essentially take them out of the focus of all the negativity and criticism which have recently engulfed the team badly. However, only their on field performances will prove whether BCB president’s statement that there would be drastic changes in the team after the tournament has had a negative effect.
None of the cricketers except Shakib al Hasan has played to their potentials so far with star opener Tamim Iqbal scoring a duck and five against Hong Kong and West Indies respectively. Anamul Haque also seems to have lost his supreme touch which was prominent during the Asia Cup. Therefore, this lack of solidity at the top of the order has disabled the middle order to actually have a foundation to unleash attack onthe opponent later on. Perhaps it’s now also the right time to give Shamsur Rahman a chance as youngster Sabbir Rahman has failed to justify his selectionby scoringonly three runs in the last two matches.
The middle order has also failed to fire when required where Nasir Hossain,the most consistent cricketer of the Bangladesh side in the recent past, had to pay the price by losing his place in the starting XI in the last match for the first time in his career since he made his debut three years back.However, the all-rounder may get the opportunity today in place of Mahmudullah who averages just four in T20s and 11 overall in 2014 while Sohag Gazi who played against West Indies and conceded 38 runs from four overs is likely to be replaced by the experienced campaigner Abdur Razzak who was dropped against West Indies.
Veteran pacer Mashrafe bin Mortaza is expected to lead the pace attack alongsidethe ever-learning youngster Al Amin who was the pick of the bowlers against West Indies with figures of 3-21. The home side can take some positives from the past when they face India asthey have beaten the Indians three times in limited overs cricket.
On the other hand, India have been playing some outstanding cricket throughout the tournament so far and have rightly won both their matches against Pakistan and West Indies comprehensively. They know a win todayagainst the Tigers will all but ensure a berth in the semi-final for them.They are again likely to bank on their spin triowhich include Amit Mishra, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja who so far been have been instrumental behind India’s success so far in the tournamentand surely pose the biggest threat for the Bangladeshi batsmen.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli at the top of the India’s batting order are also in terrific form.With Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni following these two down the order, the Tigers better be at the top of their game to avoid any embarrassment. Rohit Sharma said at the press conference that this was the best Indian team so far to win the competition after they clinched the inaugural tournament in 2007.
