Series: ICC World T20, 2016 Venue: M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru Date & Time: Mar 23, 07:30 PM LOCAL
The rival camp may appear vulnerable, but India must guard against slipping up; victory is vital in a group where progress is likely to get complicated
Summer has dented the Garden City’s oft-praised attribute – ‘salubrious
weather’ – and as the temperature rises, there is another kind of warmth
emanating from the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
After brushing aside its debilitating loss to New Zealand and finding a
second wind through a victory over Pakistan, India seems to be settling
into the groove. That could only whip up more heat, in a cricketing
sense, as the host takes on Bangladesh on Wednesday night.
It doesn’t mean that all the cogs are in place and M.S. Dhoni’s men have
overnight turned into a well-oiled machine. Yet, there are signs of
slow and steady progress, with a tougher battle against Australia
imminent.
The think-tank may perhaps look at the recent returns of Rohit Sharma
(5, 10), Shikhar Dhawan (1, 6) and Suresh Raina (1, 0) as mere
aberrations. The troika has the game for Twenty20s, however; besides,
only Virat Kohli, M.S. Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh have managed some runs.
Yet, this is not the time for alarm bells since India held its nerve
despite losing early wickets against Pakistan and mounted a fruitful
chase.
The bowling has found a new shepherd in Ashish Nehra, whose comeback
proves that Twenty20 has space for the performing veteran. The
36-year-old has been in fine fettle, working up decent pace and
maintaining tight lines. Along with him, if R. Ashwin and fellow
spinners thrive on a track that isn’t exactly a belter like the ones
seen in the IPL, India may constrict Bangladesh.
The visitor is reeling after two defeats and burdened by a middling
history in the tournament. After defeating the West Indies in the
inaugural event in South Africa in 2007, Bangladesh has not vanquished a
single Test-playing nation in the subsequent editions. It is a barren
run that India would do well to capitalise on.
The heartburn caused by the suspension of Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny
for suspect actions has placed Mashrafe Mortaza’s men in a quandary. The
doubt over Tamim Iqbal’s availability – the indisposed opener missed
the contest against Australia – remains another worry. Seasoned men like
Shakib Al Hasan, though, will take heart from the way Bangladesh
delayed the inevitable against Steve Smith’s strong unit.
There may be a sense of vulnerability in its rival’s ranks but India
would do well to remember that Bangladesh, at times, punches above its
weight. The defeat against the neighbour in the 50-over 2007 World Cup
in the Caribbean and the way Mushfiqur Rahim played a blinder and spoilt
the party spirit around Sachin Tendulkar’s 100th hundred at Dhaka in
2012 are wounds that still fester.
The ‘Men in Blue’ need to get past Bangladesh to stay at ease in a group that might get into cluster-mode on the final stretch.
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