Tigers ready to roar again

After an incredible win in the crucial group match against New Zealand the Tigers embark on a new mission as they face defending champions India in the second semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled to be held tomorrow (Thursday) at Birmingham.

The match kicks off at 3.30 pm (BST). Though on paper, India are overwhelming favourites against the next door neighbours but in a game of glorious uncertainties, it will be foolhardy to underestimate Bangladesh who are nowadays making habit to beating established team quite often.

Tiger fans at home dream big after their inspirational victory against New Zealand and sent Australia packing home to book their place for their semi-final berth.

India, one of the joint favourite along with host England surged ahead with a brilliant win over South Africa and Bangladesh and of course, they would love forget their hiccup against Sri Lanka.

Batsmen in form, bowlers on target and fielding top notch Virat Kohli's men have covered all bases so far and Mashrafe Mortaza's team had some piece of weather playing a big part in their semifinal place will have to pull off something really special at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground. For India, nothing short of a place in the summit round will satisfy their very big followings while Bangladesh they have a chance of a lifetime to grab the headlines by upsetting their more talented neighbours.

A victory for India will be par for the course for which they won't possibly get the credit that one gets for beating Australia, South Africa or England. But a defeat will lead to unparalleled criticism from fans and critics alike with some of the uncomfortable behind the scene happenings (like the alleged Anil Kumble-Virat Kohli rift) again raising their head.

Indian selectors will likely retain Ravichandran Ashwin or bring Umesh Yadav back as his pace scared the Bangladeshi batsmen during their 240-run thrashing in a warm-up game while for Tigers, their aim will be to repeat the performance of the 2007 World Cup of opener in Port of Spain still a 'Red Letter Day' in cricketing history .

Four members of that side skipper Mashrafe Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal are stars of this current line-up.

One-day cricket is one format where perhaps Bangladesh have the best chance of beating India as this format is neither too long like Test cricket where temperament is challenged nor too short like T20 where quick-on-the-feet innovation is required.

Bangladesh in this format has beaten Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, India, New Zealand and Zimbabwe in last three years progressing on to have a side, who on their day, have the ability to beat any team on the world.

Tigers have shown some promises during the 2015 home series against India which they won 2-1, thanks to the then teenage sensation Mustafizur Rahman and his deadly cutters. Back home Bangladesh fans treat cricket as more than a game. If cricket is religion in India, it's beyond that in Bangladesh. It's a getaway from all the worries of poverty, unemployment and other teething issues.

Ardent Tiger fans has not forgotten 2015 World Cup quarter-final against India at the MCG as many thinks that poor umpiring decisions was the real cause of their defeat though Bangladesh lost that match by a big margin.

The one-run defeat at Bangalore in a ICC World T20 match last year still hurts Tigers and haunt them. They would love to perform tomorrow to wipe away their painful memories with a place in final at India's cost.

While coach Chandika Hathurusingha tries to input some sense of calmness playing the 'underdog card' and asked his wards to play to their true potentials, not to worry about results.

Source: bss