First ICC world cup quarter-final playing Bangladesh team will be taking on India in the knockout clash on 19 March, 2015 at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne in Australia. The team whoever wins this quarterfinal, will be playing either hosts Australia or 1992 world cup champion Pakistan in the second semi-final of 2015 world cup on 26 March.
Preview
Head to Head (World Cups)
India 1:1 Bangladesh
This is the third occasion when Bangladesh and India are playing a cricket world cup match. The result of previous two meets between these nations is tie. Bangladesh knocked out India from 2007 ICC world cup first stage whereas India defeated Bangladesh in 2011 tournament.
Before starting of 11th cricket world cup edition, India was completely out-dated as they were failed to register single win in tri-series against England and Australia. They fought well in test series against Aussies but still they ended at the losing mark. No cricket fan or expert was expecting that would play such cricket the way they are playing these days.
Indian cricket team has played some delicate cricket throughout the pool stage of competition and won all the 6 matches. India beat South Africa, West Indies and Pakistan quiet comprehensively whereas they were tested against Zimbabwe in the last pool game of 2015 world cup.
Bowling is never been team India’s strength but in this ICC world cup, Indian bowling has surprised everyone. Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have bowled really well in the first stage of competition and they bowled out all the six teams in played 6 pool matches. India is the only team to do so in this ICC’s prestigious event.
Read more: Quarter-final predictions
Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina are the centurions in cricket world cup 2015 for Indian side. Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and Captain MS Dhoni have played valuable innings already in the competition and they have scored fifties in different games and situations. Fielding has been superb and it’s example was set in South Africa’s match when dangerous AB de Villiers and David Miller were run out from some extra ordinary fielding which Proteas captain also praised after the match.
Hence whole Indian team is in great form in all departments of the game and will be desperate to enter in the semi-finals. But their dream of playing semifinal can be broken by the passion and devotion of Bangladeshi team on field. The tigers have shown that they are taking their cricket on the next level and they beat England to make themselves in the quarter-finals first time in history of tournament.
In their last pool match against New Zealand, Bangladesh team showed that they can beat any side in competition on their day. They put up 280+ score against inform strong Kiwi bowling line-up and pushed Blackcaps on the back foot. Though tigers lost but they fought really hard and NZ got satisfactory win by 3 wickets. That’s why we can say Bangladesh can’t be ruled out from match at anytime.
Bangladesh team’s biggest strength is their backing themselves ability in every situation. They don’t lose game at any point of time and always try to go hard against opposition. Mahmudullah is one of the players in Bangladesh team who has become vital part of the playing 11. He becomes first Bangladeshi batsman who scored a ton in cricket world cup. Not only he scored one hundred but hit two consecutive centuries.
Mahmudullah’s hundreds didn’t come against associate teams, he scored centuries against England and New Zealand’s good bowling attack. Hence he’ll be the key batsman in second quarter-final of world cup against India. Rubel Hossain’s pace bowling has provided Bangladeshi team and fans hope that he can destroy opposition batting at the front and middle overs.
Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal and Saumya Sarkar have displayed good cricket show at the initial stage of tournament. Though they didn’t score hundreds but they contributed good runs in Bangladesh score at each and every game. So it is going to be good challenge for them against India’s top class inform bowling.
Predictions
No doubt Indian team will favorite to win this clash but they have to be aware of Bangladesh’s passionate cricket. Sportsmirchi.com could have given 80 percent or maybe 90% chances to India for 19 March’s quarter-final but tiger’s performance and form it reduced to 75 percent.
Whom you’ll support for this Bangladesh vs India knockout match on 19 March? Share your views in comment section.
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