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Team India are scheduled to face Bangladesh at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Thursday, October 19. The Men in Blue will continue to be one of the two undefeated teams in the tournament, along with New Zealand, if they manage to get the better of their subcontinent rivals.
Although the two sides may seem a massive mismatch on paper, it is Bangladesh who have the better head-to-head record in recent times. India have only won two matches out of their last five encounters against Bangladesh. In the Men in Blue's defense, those defeats included a side far from their strongest playing XI, and they now have all of the momentum heading into the World Cup encounter.
They just have to continue doing what they have done so far to extend their winning run. However, at the same time, they cannot afford to dismiss Bangladesh as a non-threat.
There are some specifics that Rohit Sharma and company will have to do right in order to win their fourth consecutive match in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
On that note, let us take a look at three things India needs to do right to defeat Bangladesh in the 2023 World Cup clash.
#1 Watchful against the new ball under lights
If Team India bat second in the contest, they will have to be cautious against the new ball under the lights. The venue has a notorious reputation for showcasing movement for the pacers during the twilight time, and it was against the new ball that the Men in Blue had crumbled against Bangladesh in the 2023 Asia Cup.
The likes of Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam are well capable of moving the ball around when the conditions suit them. Indian batters already have a horrid reputation against left-arm seamers and they will hope to avoid another entry into the already long list.
#2 Exploit Bangladesh's shaky batting unit
Bangladesh have been bundled out for sub-par totals in their recent encounters against England and New Zealand respectively. There is a lack of experience in the batting unit, with Tamim Iqbal missing from the squad. Furthermore, their batting woes will take a further hit if Shakib Al Hasan does not make it to the playing XI due to injury.
Litton Das has a credible record against India but has been largely inconsistent. The trio of Najmul Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Mushfiqur Rahim will have a key role to play in the proceedings.
The Men in Blue had decimated the Bangladesh top-order in their Asia Cup meeting, reducing them to 59-4 at one stage. Shakib Al Hasan and Towhid Hridoy rescued the innings from that point, but it is to be noted that the Indian bowling unit is a stronger one compared to the one deployed in the dead rubber Asia Cup clash.
#3 Make the most of short boundaries and Shakib's potential absence
The MCA Stadium in Pune is generally a high-scoring venue, with the short boundaries proving to be an issue for the spinners. Furthermore, the Indian batting unit is better equipped to take advantage of such short distances to the boundary rope.
Bangladesh have hit 12 sixes in the tournament so far compared to Team India's 19. In fact, Rohit Sharma alone has matched the entire Bangladesh team's six-tally across the first three matches so far.
Rohit Sharma and Co. also have had issues with left-arm spin bowling of late, losing 42 wickets to the department in the format since 2022. Virat Kohli, in particular, has had troubles with left-arm spin.
As a result, Shakib Al Hasan's potential absence comes across as a huge respite for the Men in Blue. The all-rounder has a terrific bowling record against the subcontinent side, which includes 29 wickets in 22 matches at an economy of 4.88.
Team India could really make the most of this situation and use their right-handed heavy batting unit to take on the off-spinners in the middle overs.
Will the Men in Blue make easy work of Bangladesh to prolong their dream start to the 2023 ODI World Cup? Let us know what you think.
