Kolkata: Seeking a revival of fortunes, Bangladesh and Netherlands will have one last chance to keep their slender semifinals hopes alive when they clash with each other as the World Cup finally arrives at the hallowed Eden Gardens here Saturday.
As the sports-crazy city awakens from its 10-day Durga Puja revelry, the World Cup finally arrives in Kolkata, 23 days and 27 matches into the global showpiece.
The familiar buzz and the World Cup excitement is, however, missing from the venue that is all decked-up for its leg of five matches which include the marquee India-South Africa clash and the second semifinal.
Both teams have one win from four outings.
Call it their misfortune or lack of a proper planning, Bangladesh’s campaign has fallen miserably after they began on a positive note with a comprehensive win over Afghanistan.
Bangladesh had to face three heavyweights in defending champions England, last edition’s runners-up New Zealand, and hosts India, and the ‘Bangla Tigers’ failed to spring any magic to see their World Cup campaign almost done and dusted.
They were next drawn against South Africa, who were not pre-tournament favourites but the way the Proteas have taken the tournament by storm the Shakib Al Hasan-led side did not have any Plan B for a course-correction.
Fresh from posting 399 in their previous game, South Africa batting was on fire yet again at the cost of Bangladesh who endured a 149-run rout.
The team’s atmosphere was shaken so much that skipper Shakib had to fly back home in the middle of a global tournament for a few hours with his childhood mentor Nazmul Abedeen Fahim to sort out some “technical issues”.
In such a scenario, it remains to be seen if the premier Bangladeshi all-rounder is able to revive their fortunes at his IPL home ground.
Shakib has struggled with the bat at this World Cup, having scored just 56 runs in four innings, while he has taken six wickets.
Both batting and bowling have been Bangladesh’s letdowns as they have failed to make much inroads.
The biggest disappointment has been their No. 3 batter Najmul Hossain Shanto as the southpaw has copped four single-digit scores in their last four games which include two golden ducks.
Coming on the back of a successful Asia Cup and breakout debut season, Towhid Hridoy too has failed to live up to the expectation and managed just 68 runs in three innings.
However, their biggest positive has been senior batter Mahmudullah’s form who scored the first World Cup century for the team in this edition with a majestic 111 after being sidelined by the selectors earlier.
With Litton Das also among runs hitting two fifties, Bangladesh will look up the duo to revive their campaign on a batting-friendly Eden wicket where dew could aid the team chasing.
In bowling too, they would hope the four-pronged pace attack of Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, and Mustafizur Rahman fire in unison.
It has been a not so memorable campaign for the bottom-placed Netherlands barring the upset win over South Africa at Dharamsala.
Since then, they have succumbed to losses against Sri Lanka and the resurgent Australia in their last two matches. Chasing a mammoth 400, the Dutchmen folded for 90 to concede a record 309-run defeat to Australia.
It remains to be seen how their batters cope against the wounded Bangla Tigers who will hope to revive their campaign in the Puja carnival atmosphere here.
Teams
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Das (wk), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto (vc), Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
Netherlands: Scott Edwards (c & wk), Colin Ackermann, Wesley Barresi (wk), Bas de Leede, Aryan Dutt, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Ryan Klein, Teja Nidamanuru, Max O’Dowd, Saqib Zulfiqar, Shariz Ahmad, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Paul van Meekeren and Vikramjit Singh.
Match Starts: 2pm IST.
PTI
