India and Bangladesh will lock horns against each other in the second game of the ongoing Champions Trophy on 20th February in Dubai.
Match Preview:
This game will be the first of the season for both teams. India enters the competition with momentum, having recently defeated England in a one-sided home series. The Men in Blue will be eager to continue their winning run.
However, Bangladesh, who advanced to the semifinals of the 2017 tournament, has struggled with consistency, winning only one bilateral series since the 2023 World Cup. The Bangla Tigers, potential dark horses in the tournament, will be motivated to turn their fortunes around.
For India, the onus will be on key players like Kohli, Sharma, Pandya, and Jadeja. Kohli has been the highest run-scorer for India against Bangladesh, amassing 910 runs. However, his recent dip in form remains a concern.
Apart from these key players, all eyes will be on the number-one ODI batter, Shubman Gill, who was at his glorious best against England, and Shreyas Iyer, who showed glimpses of a comeback during the England series.
Talking about Bangladesh, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mustafizur Rahman will be the key players. Mushfiqur has scored the most runs for Bangladesh against India, while Mustafizur has taken 25 wickets at an impressive average of 21.88 in just 12 matches against India.
Nahid Rana will be the player to watch out for in the upcoming game. Bangladesh has never had a player with the kind of firepower he brings to the pitch, and they will be eager to make full use of it.
Probable playing XI:
India (probable): 1. Rohit Sharma (capt), 2. Shubman Gill, 3. Virat Kohli, 4. Shreyas Iyer, 5. KL Rahul (wk), 6. Hardik Pandya, 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Axar Patel, 9. Kuldeep Yadav, 10. Mohammed Shami, 11. Arshdeep Singh
Bangladesh (probable): 1. Tanzid Hasan, 2. Soumya Sarkar, 3. Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4. Towhid Hridoy, 5. Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6. Mahmudullah, 7. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8. Rishad Hossain, 9. Taskin Ahmed, 10. Nahid Rana, 11. Mustafizur Rahman
Pitch and weather report:
Top-tier teams rarely face each other in ODI cricket in Dubai, which will host all of India’s matches in the Champions Trophy 2025. In fact, the last 50-over game at this venue took place in March 2024, featuring Scotland and Canada.
High scores have been rare at this ground, with only four totals of 300 or more recorded in 58 ODIs. Both teams expect a drier surface, which could play a crucial role in the game, while the weather is predicted to be clear.
Head-to-head record:
In their 41 meetings, India holds a dominant record with 32 wins, while Bangladesh has secured victory 8 times in One-Day International cricket.
Prediction:
Given recent performances, India is the favorite to win the upcoming game.
Where to watch:
India: Jio Hotstar,
Pakistan: Myco and Tamasha app
UAE and MENA: STARZPLAY
USA and Canada: Streaming on Willow by Cricbuzz app (Hindi coverage available)
Caribbean: ESPN Play Caribbean app
Australia: PrimeVideo
New Zealand: SkyGo app.
South Africa and sub-Saharan territories: SuperSport and SuperSport App
Bangladesh: Nagorik TV
Afghanistan: ATN
Sri Lanka: Maharaja TV
