When Tournament favorites ICC blue eyed India meets dark horse Bangladesh in a crucial ICC World Cup 2019 match at crunch time today memories of 2007 and 2015 would come into reckoning. In 2007 in West Indies Habibul Bashar led Team Tigers knocked out mighty India from World Cup.

Greats like Ganguly, Tendulkar, Sehwag, Laxman were looking for the title. Golden generation of Bangladesh cricket Mashrafe, Tamim, Shakib, Mushfiq just emerged. These bubbling lads prevailed over the mighty Indians. In 2015 at MCG India required generous assistance of Aleem Dar and Ian Gould for subduing effervescent Bangladesh.

Those fabulous four Bangladesh team are now very matured and have a bunch of talented youngsters (Soumya, Liton, Mosaddek, Saifuddin and Mustzfiz). None of the Indian legends of the past are in the present team. But they have Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Bumrah and Sami. India now is ICC top ranked ODI team and is favorably placed with 11 points from 7 matches and better net run rates. Bangladesh have 7 from 7. Bangladesh needs winning today and winning big. 

Bangladesh in this tournament beat South Africa, Afghanistan and West Indies. India lost to England and could also loose to Afghanistan. Bangladesh is definitely capable of beating India. These days Bangladesh India matches in ODI is no less exciting than Australia–England and Pakistan–India matches. On fair and equitable circumstances Bangladesh can rock India.

In World Cup 2019, Bangladesh played wonderful cricket. If rain did not play hell in the match against Sri Lanka-Bangladesh could be better placed. They had couple of crucial errors against New Zealand (Mushfiq missing run out opportunity of Kane Williams early) cost them the match against New Zealand. Situation could be different if Sabbir could take a dolly offered by Flinch in the match against Australia. Well these are part of the game. Let us see how Bangladesh plays in their must win game today.

Points Table (Melbourne Time 8:00 AM 2 July 2019) 

Till now no team other than Australia is assured of a semi final berth. If India loses both their matches by a reasonable margin there would teams locked with them with 11 points and India may not go ahead. If New Zealand loses big to England they go back home. England losing the match would become spectator in rest of the world cup matches in their own territory. Pakistan will have 11 if they beat Bangladesh but with poor run rate they have little opportunity. Sri Lanka can have 10 if they win against India in their last match. But they have no chance. But their win would harm India. ICC must guarantee that India does not fix that match. Sri Lankans are no less fixers.  

Bangladesh has more than even chance of qualifying. It is very much possible that they beat both India and Pakistan in the last two matches and winning my reasonable margin improve run rates. But those wins will open windows for them if only England loose their last match against New Zealand. Australia, New Zealand, India and Bangladesh then qualify for the semi finals. But will ICC and three musketeers of World Cricket let them happen? This world cup has already witnessed the dirty teeth of some teams playing dubious matches. Matches between Afghanistan–Pakistan and India–England if fairly investigated may find out rats.

Now what should be Bangladeshi strategy today? Bangladesh as a team has batted consistently well in this world cup. Tamim is not at his brilliant best yet. But the big match player may choose the day today for blasting Sami, Bumrah and co. Soumya if he is in the team should open. If he stays through first power play he can take the game away from India. Liton may bat at five whether he can combine better with Mushfiq and Mahmudullah on either side. Shakib in sizzling form has to settle few scores. He was neglected at IPL 2019 and he is in scorching best with his all round ability. We know Mushfiq fancies Indian bowling. He can hurt India. 

With Liton, Mahmudullah and Mosaddek around him he can take toll of vaunted Indian spin attack. We know what Liton, Mosddek and Mahmudullah are capable of. Even Saifuddin can strike big. If Bangladesh bat first must set eye on 350 as there is a short boundary in one end at Birmingham.  We hope umpiring would be fair though one Mr Aleem Dar will be TV umpire today. In bowling Mashrafe has not fired yet. Hope his membership in the Bangladesh parliament would not need him negotiate Teesta river water treaty with India. Can he have a hurrah “Dhoira Deebaaney” once more? Mustafiz, Saifuddin and Rubel must bowl on the channel and bowl full to Rohit, Rahul and Kohli, rest of the Indian batting can be strangled by Shakib and Mosaddek if Bangladesh manages to restrict top three.
 
The key would be not losing early wicket to Bumrah and Sami. It may happen that India may play Kumar also today. But having played against South African, English, Kiwis and West Indian pacers so well Bangladesh in form batsmen must not worry. Bangladesh must field well and take their chances. I do not think Mehedi Miraz is required today. Rubel must play and Bangladesh must play with all four pacers.

Let us wait for a fair and clean game of cricket. World has seen how dirty can be Indian tricks in cricket. Bangladesh always keep the spirit of cricket above winning or losing.  Bangladesh will earn worlds respect from what they have achieved in this world cup. Let them play to their potential playing fearless cricket like ROARING ROYAL BENGAL.

Probable Playing XI 

Bangladesh : Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton K Das, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza , Rubel Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman

India : KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma , Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya Rabindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami

BDST: 1020 HRS, JULY 2, 2019
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