Dubai, Sept 23 (UNI) Strap yourselves in, fans, because tomorrow night it’s India against Bangladesh, and that’s got a nice ring to it.
The Super Fours are heating up, and the buzz is everywhere. India are striding around like peacocks, unbeaten so far, while Bangladesh are turning up with a spring in their step after some tidy wins. But let’s have it straight – head-to-head, this has been one-way traffic.
Seventeen T20s, sixteen Indian wins, and just one for Bangladesh – way back in 2019, a year Ben Stokes was pleading to the umpires and TikTok hadn’t gone mad.
India? They’re purring. Abhishek Sharma at the top has been whacking it like he’s got a train to catch – that 74 off 39 against Pakistan? Innings of the tournament so far. Shubman Gill at the other end is just class – plays like he’s got all the time in the world. Then you’ve got Suryakumar Yadav, the captain, reverse scooping for fun, and Tilak Varma quietly knocking it around. Sanju Samson’s lurking, Hardik Pandya’s flexing, Shivam Dube’s swinging – it’s batting depth for days.
And the bowling – don’t forget that. Kuldeep Yadav spinning webs, Varun Chakaravarthy being all mysterious with his bag of tricks, and Jasprit Bumrah, who hasn’t quite set the place alight yet but don’t you worry – he’s got thunderbolts tucked away. Add Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube with the seam-up, and you’ve got a tidy unit.
Now then, Bangladesh aren’t here to make up the numbers. They’ve been solid. Saif Hassan’s just peeled off a cool 61 against Sri Lanka, Tanzid Hasan is busy at the top, and Litton Das is their captain, always in the game. Towhid Hridoy’s been piling runs, 127 in four matches – proper form, that. And don’t sleep on Jaker Ali, who loves a late cameo, bang-bang-bang, over the ropes.
Bowling? Mustafizur Rahman – the Fizz – has been on fire, seven wickets already, with those slower balls that make batsmen look daft. Taskin Ahmed’s hitting his lengths, Mahedi Hasan’s got spin with control, and if the pitch grips, it could be game on.
Speaking of the pitch – Dubai International Cricket Stadium is a funny old place. Starts off with a bit of movement for the quicks, then flattens out nicely. Spinners get a nibble in the middle overs, but here’s the big thing – dew in the evening makes life easier for chasers. Five out of seven games here have been won by the side batting second. So, win the toss, stick ‘em in, chase it down. Simple.
Weather? Hot, sticky, no rain. Plenty of sweat, so bring a towel.
So what’s the verdict? India are red hot favourites – unbeaten, full of confidence, batting and bowling stacked. Bangladesh have the tools to cause a wobble, especially if their bowlers nail it, but history is against them. India have bossed this rivalry for years, and on current form, they should keep that streak going.
But don’t rule out a bit of drama. It’s a night game under lights in Dubai, the spectators will be noisy, and Bangladesh will fight. Expect runs, expect wickets, expect fireworks. India start favourites – but in T20 cricket, anything can happen. Start the car!
India Predicted Playing XI:
Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson/ Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy
Bangladesh Predicted Playing XI:
Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Litton Das (c & wk), Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed , Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman
