Teams look for a winning head start ahead of 3-match ODI series
What
1st ODI of the three-match series between India and Bangladesh
IND vs BAN livescore & updates ball by ball | watch live streaming IND vs BAN
When
June 18th, 2015
Where
Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur
The Teams
India
With rain playing spoilt sport in the one-off Test match between the two sides, both teams now look at the ODI series with a hope for more game time and better results. India no doubt start off as favorites with their well known prowess in ODIs. It is a well-rounded unit with a batting powerhouse that boasts of some of the best in the business who are itching to get some runs under their belt. The ODI specialists in Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Stuart Binny and sundry are back in the know and would all be eager to make the most of this opportunity at hand. The bowling too looks potent with a good blend of spinners and pacers, a few of those who were also part of the one-off Test. Most importantly, MS Dhoni is back at the helm of affairs and one can expect a familiar charge once the blue brigade steps on the field on Thursday.
Bangladesh
Some familiar faces and some new and exciting ones are the make-up of this Bangladesh ODI unit. When they take on India in the first ODI, they would still have fresh memories of the time they played in the quarter-final of the 2015 World Cup. Tempers flared at that time, there were personal battles to be won and one can expect the same kind of aura when both sides face off at Mirpur in a couple of days. Bangladesh do fancy themselves a lot more in the shorter formats and they have over the years proved their worth in coloured clothing. Fair to say, they have grown to be the most comfortable especially after a good show in the World cup and whitewashing Pakistan in 3 ODIs at home in May. But, it will be a huge challenge when they are up against the team that knocked them out of the World Cup.
Key Players
India
If there is one member in that Indian team who has fond memories of the opposition, then it is Rohit Sharma. The last time these two sides played was in the quarter-final of the 2015 World Cup in Australia where he bludgeoned the Bangladesh bowling line-up with a 126-ball 137. Rohit’s batting prowess at the top of the order will be crucial in setting the perfect platform for setting a target or get a run-chase rolling. If he clicks and gets past that half century mark, there are few attacks in the world that can stop that kind of batting dominance.
Bangladesh
This Bangladesh line-up boasts of some immense batting talent who have the potential to put a good show against quality bowling attacks. Tamim Iqbal has definitely been one of those and has managed to create quite a flutter in that Indian bowling line-up. Tamim has the ability to pierce through those gaps in the powerplay overs and in the process collect some quick runs at the start of the innings. If Tamim can find the middle of the bat early in the innings it will do a world of good for his team.
The Squads
India: MS Dhoni (C & WK), Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Dhawal Kulkarni, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav.
Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (C), Mushfiqur Rahim (WK), Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Arafar Sunny, Mominul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Rony Talukdar, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman.
Source