This is going to be a belter by all accord. Both team meets each other after a long gap. After 2007 World Cup debacle, when Bangladesh ousted India from the prelims they gave a shocker to the world. They qualified for the super 8 leaving the men in blues in absolute disdain. Much water has flowed through Padma and Ganges after that. India in between went on to win the World T20 the same year under the leadership of Dhoni, and proved their mettle in other formats in the succeding years.
Bangaldesh till date has played only 10 T20 games with a win loss percentage of 0.42. However these statistics are for the people who savour the taste of mere numbers. Overall Bangladesh's statistics is not impressive but they've competed in all most every game. Their most famous win came against West Indies in the 2007 edition of this tournament, when their heavy duty duo, Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed, knocked West Indies out in a vicious manner.
It is in Twenty20 that Bangladesh are the most dangerous because they have aggressive players equipped to deliver in bursts. A 9 ball 21 or a 22 ball 47 can be devastating in T20's, and that's one of the strengths this side has.
However it's the nerves that is rarity in this team. The volatile nature of the batsmen means that if they don't start with a bang, then they are unsure over how to approach a run chase. Often it comes down to a pair of trigger happy's to salvage the innings and that's where the uncertainty between attacking or nursing the strike can seriously hamper Bangladesh.
Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mashrafe Mortaza and Ashraful are the key players to watch out for. Personally my dark horse is Shakib Al Hasan.
Bangladesh needs to hold on to their nerves and have to ensure that their batsmen remain cool and calm (they seems to be very very aggressive) and the seamers need to fix their line and length. Too much wayward and they should know, they have to deal with Rohit, Mahi, Yuvi, Viru (if he plays), Gambhir (can be the real booster of a match for him), Raina and the seasoned rookies down the line who can hit almost anything.
India comes in to the game as the hot favorites and they are tipped to encore the epic tale of 2007. The squad displays immense talent and the most balanced side of all. A superb opening pair, a trio of three outrageously gifted timers of the ball to follow, a clutch of allrounders, crafty medium pacers and seamers, tidy spinners and a captain+batsman+wicketkeeper who has balanced the demands of leadership with honing his own game. Every successful team needs a astute leader, and Dhoni has fit into that role with ease. These are some of the game's best players and when packed into the same XI. Our Men in Blues is the toughest team to beat. The top order is excellent, the middle brings in weight, the fielding is athletic (offlate have dwindled a bit), the spin squad is brimming, and the pace department top rate.
However the team has a major problem in hand i.e. fatigue both physical and mental. All these players have played a lot of cricket, both domestic, international and in the IPL, and there is a concern that a few are carrying injuries of concern. Zaheer Khan sat out the second half of the IPL and India's warm-up's and he will remain critical on medical grounds until the final eleven is announced.
Pragyan Ojha, Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma are players to watch out for. My dark horse remains Suresh Raina.
Certain key areas both the team needs to focus on:
Bowling: Stick to basics. Don't try anything great. Pitch it up to the batsman. Try to land the ball on the seam. Let the ball do the talking. Only try and put some extra pace to bounce it up to the batsman after the mandatory 6th over. Ensure that each over has atleast one dot. Avoid wides and No's (especially the front footers). Do not go negative because negative in this game means more power to the batsmen who are looking for quick runs. Try scalp atleast a wicket or two in the first 4 overs.
Fielding: Be aggressive and charge the ball. Restrict the quick two's. For sixes nothing much can be done but for fours slide and chase as much as possible.
Batting: Wait for the ball. It will seam and the air will aid. Avoid the blood rush. 50 runs in the first six can set the tempo. Do not loose quick wickets, not atleast in the first six. Loft the ball in the begining over the mid wicket, you are assured of runs there if is timed well. 160 plus is a winning score.
Here is an interesting depiction of how run's were scored in 2007 edition
The Pitch:
The Trent Bridge pitch is very unpredictable, and pitch quality depends to a large extent on the groundsman’s work just prior to a match. Regular ground conditions present teams with a flat wicket and a low bounce, making the ground conducive to Twenty20 cricket. However, there have been several occasions at which the Trent Bridge pitch has produced dramatic batting collapses as well as very low scores. So both teams watch out.
Overall Verdict:
India wins. Expect to see Bangladesh giving a good fight. They are underdogs and comes to the game without any baggage.
Best Odds:
(Implied Probablity)
Let's see the result.
