Press Trust of India
Melbourne, March 18: Having demolished six oppositions without much trouble, India’s real title defence starts with a tricky quarterfinal clash against a confident Bangladesh side in the ICC Cricket World Cup, here Thursday.
India with their power packed performance throughout the past one month have emerged as worthy contenders for retaining the Cup alongside former champions Australia and co-hosts New Zealand.
However, the format of the tournament is such that the real test starts from the knockout stages. However to India’s credit, the initial momentum that they seized after crushing Pakistan in the first game stayed with them throughout the league phase. South Africa was blown away, UAE were no match, West Indies at best gave a scare, Ireland got pummeled and Zimbabwe never had the bowling to shake India up.
So convincing has been India’s performance in the six matches so far that Bangladesh, at least on paper, do not even have the slightest of chance at the MCG. But then ‘Cricket is a game of Glorious Uncertainties’. The tiny nation has shown the gumption to fight it out having shown England the door and gave the Black Caps a run for their money.
Call it irony but Bangladesh unwittingly made a contribution towards ICC trying out this current format in World Cup after they shocked India in the 2007 edition in a round robin match at Port of Spain. So Mashrafe Mortaza and his boys can prove to be the banana peel on which Dhoni and his boys can slip.
As the tournament reaches its business end, the margin for error is now nil and that is what will demand double the intensity from Dhoni’s side with the Cup now firmly in sight.
Qualitatively, Bangladesh are is no match for India, who are certainly overwhelming favourites. Player by player, India are quite a few notches above their opposition. Bangladesh will be hoping dearly that their formidable opposition has a bad day in office which they can cash in.