India and Bangladesh chase top spot in Group 2

India and Bangladesh will renew their T20I rivalry after three years when the two teams meet at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday, with both opponents looking to seal a top-finish in Group 2 of the 2022 ICC Men’s World T20 in Australia.

Rohit Sharma’s team, after wins over Pakistan and Netherlands, lost to South Africa on Sunday to slip to second spot in the group while Bangladesh, also with two wins and a loss, are at third with the same number of points – four. With Pakistan losing to Zimbabwe as well, India can secure passage to the semi-finals by beating Bangladesh and then Zimbabwe on Sunday at the MCG. Shakib Al Hasan’s team have it tougher, with Pakistan to follow on the weekend in Adelaide, and if they lost both these fixtures they are in danger of ending up at fifth in the group. That would also leave Bangladesh in danger of securing automatic qualification to the next T20 World Cup in 2024.

India have not dominated any match yet and have a couple of batting worries. Bangladesh, enduring arguably their worst year in T20Is, narrowly beat Netherlands and just got across the line against Zimbabwe. The last time India and Bangladesh met at a T20 World Cup, the match ended in a ripper. What will happen this time, with rain in Adelaide looming as the villain?

TEAM NEWS

India

Dinesh Karthik hobbled off the field during South Africa’s chase in Perth and while it remains to be seen if he passed fit before the toss, the fact that he has failed in his two innings in the tournament is enough evidence that India might look at someone else. In the nail-biting thriller versus Pakistan, Karthik walked out to bat in the role he was recalled for after a successful IPL and the situation for which he has been training hard for, but managed just one run before he was stumped. Then in the South Africa match, when India had slumped to 59/5, Karthik ate up 15 balls for just six runs.

India benched Axar Patel for Deepak Hooda in that same match, but could go back to either Axar or Yuzvendra Chahal, given how poorly Bangladesh have fared against legspin. Hooda made a duck and didn’t get a chance to bowl versus South Africa, so what is the point of playing him?

India likely XI: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 KL Rahul, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel/R Ashwin, 8 Mohammed Shami, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Bangladesh

The need for a fifth bowler could see Bangladesh make further changes. Yasir Ali batting as deep as No 8 is odd, so he could make way for another bowling option. India’s batsmen are often tied down by left-arm spin, so Nasum Ahmed is a good choice.

Bangladesh likely XI: 1 Soumya Sarkar, 2 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 3 Litton Das, 4 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 5 Afif Hossain, 6 Nurul Hasan (wk), 7 Mosaddek Hossain, 8 Nasum Ahmed, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Hasan Mahmud

PITCH & CONDITIONS

Rain is forecast, which isn’t good news for anyone. The average score at Adelaide Oval in day-night T20s is about 170-175, which means that whoever bats first will have to step on it inside the Powerplay.

PREDICTION

India showed some weakness versus South Africa, but up against an opponent that have regularly dominated – the record is 10-1 in T20Is – they will back themselves to win. Bangladesh used eight batsmen to little effect in the win over Zimbabwe, so they need to focus on how best to silence India’s batsmen instead. India are favourites, no doubt, and should win comfortably. But they cannot afford another poor start inside the Powerplay.