Tigers face India today

Sports Desk: Bangladesh will seek to register their second win against two times world champions India in World Cups and keep their semifinal hope alive when they take on their giant neighbour in the global meet at Edgbaston in Birmingham today (Tuesday).

The Tigers, who are keen to reach their dream semifinals of the ongoing World Cup, need to win both of their remaining matches -- against neighbouring India on Tuesday and sub-continental rivals and former champions Pakistan on July 5.
 
On the other hand, India need to win at least one of their last two matches to make a smooth passage to the semifinal.

Bangladesh and India have so far faced each other thrice in ICC World Cups where the Tigers (192/5 in 48.3 overs) made a brilliant start eliminating India (191 all out in 49.3 overs) by five wickets in Port of Spain in Trinidad in 2007.

In the ICC World Cup’2011, India (370/4 in 50 overs) beat Bangladesh (283/9 in 50 overs) by 87 runs at Shere-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.
 
In 2015, India (302/6 in 50 overs) defeated Bangladesh (193 in 45 overs) by 109 runs in Melbourne, Australia.

Bangladesh and India so far faced off each other 35 times in ODI cricket in which India won 29 times in contrast of Bangladesh’s five.

In World Cup they however they met thrice with India winning two but Bangladesh drew the blood first in their first meeting in cricket’s biggest carnival. That was in 2007 when a young Bangladeshi side, comprised with the rookie like Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim stunned India by seven wickets, showing a sheering audacity. Particularly Tamim’ straight six off Zaheer Khan went into the World Cup cricket’s folklore.

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, who then was in his peak, was instrumental in the victory claiming 4-38, still his World Cup beat figure. An out-of-form Mashrafe will definitely want to emulate that performance once again.


risingbd/July 2, 2019/Mukul