ICC World T20: Confident India face a rattled Bangladesh today

India's win against Pakistan will make them comfortable favourites for tonight's game. But Bangladesh, driven by the hurt of two painful defeats, are more than capable of causing an upset

It is funny what a difference a few days can make. Exactly a week ago, India were thumped comprehensively by New Zealand in the opening game of the ICC World T20. India were drenched with a bucket of ice cold water by the Kiwis, leaving them half dazed, half mortified. It was a rude wake-up call that they did not see coming. Wake up they did, skilfully dispatching Pakistan in their next game at the Eden Gardens last Saturday. Tonight, they head into a clash against a rattled Bangladesh side brimming with confidence. A win will take them closer to the semi-finals. A loss and the brickbats will start singing in an ominous tone; the exit door will be staring them wide in the face. 

Against Pakistan in Kolkata, India were disciplined and incisive. The bowling, led by Ravichandran Ashwin, stuck to its game plan, never letting Pakistan run away with the game. 

But the chase was single-handedly orchestrated by Virat Kohli, something that would have the Indian think-tank worried. For a second game running, the Indian top-order misfired; Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan left early in the piece, Suresh Raina did not last for more than a single delivery. Yet, the assuredness of Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni helped India romp home in the end. 

Bangladesh, in a lot of ways, will be a sterner test than Pakistan. Having played India so many times in the last few months, Mashrafe Mortaza’s side understands the opposition well. Their batting line-up is packed with dangerous batsman; the fact that they seldom click together is something that Mortaza would be hoping will change. In Bengaluru, two nights ago, Bangladesh pushed mighty Australia all the way, ample proof of how they’ve evolved into a team that can trouble the big sides. 

The bowling though continues to be a major concern. The absence of the fiery Taksin Ahmed has severely dented Bangladesh’s prospects in the tournament; Arafat Sunny’s unavailability is another major blow, which means Mustafizur Rahman will have to step up once again. In the batting department, Tamim Iqbal’s return to the side will help, but Mahmudullah remains Bangladesh’s main man. Given that the 30-year-old has been his team’s most prolific scorer in this format, Mortaza would do well to push him up the order. 

For India, Dhoni would be hoping that the two openers hit form ahead of the key game against Australia. Both Dhawan and Sharma have got starts, but played wretched shots to get out. Dhoni would be tempted to replace Dhawan with Ajinkya Rahane at the top, but that seems unlikely for now. In fact, expect Dhoni to play with the same side that beat Pakistan. Also, asking Raina to bat lower down in the order might help revive his slumping fortunes. 

The pitch at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru has always favoured the batsman. Given its high altitude, the ball tends to travel a fair bit at the Chinnaswamy. The pacers are likely to find the going tough, but the spinners will have a definite role to play. In the game between the West Indies and Sri Lanka, Samuel Badree and Sulieman Benn got the ball to grip and turn. 

India’s win against Pakistan will make them comfortable favourites for tonight’s game. But Bangladesh, driven by the hurt of two painful defeats, are more than capable of upsetting them. Expect quite a contest.