India vs Bangladesh Asia Cup 2016 Live

Asia Cup 2016 Live: Sun plays hide and seek with clouds over Dhaka before tournament opener

 

India captain MS Dhoni and his Bangladeshi counterpart Mashrafe Mortaza during the trophy launch. (Source: BCCI)

Live Updates of Asia Cup 2016:

# Former India player Subramaniam Badrinath believes spin will be the biggest challenge for India.

The way Indian batters tackle spin might be the challenge, in and against, sub-continent conditions and teams #AsiaCupT20

— subramani badrinath (@s_badrinath) February 24, 2016

# Fans line up to get in

Still 4 hours for the match to begin. But Bangladesh fans already in the mood, in front of Mirpur stadium. #AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/w49SNCMBlf

— Shamik Chakrabarty (@shamik100) February 24, 2016

# Weather
The weather forecast doesn’t look good in Dhaka. There have been some showers but the sun is out now – although playing hide and seek with the clouds.

3.15pm at Mirpur…good news–sun has made an appearance and the ground staff has started taking off the covers! pic.twitter.com/3oTXbTTVp3

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 24, 2016

It rained a little while back…still fairly cloudy in Dhaka. But thankfully it’s dry at the moment. #AsiaCup #FingersCrossed

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 24, 2016

And five minutes later, the sun is out in Dhaka. Like someone took the curtains off! What’s with this weather!!

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 24, 2016

Outside my window in Dhaka. This is going to be some shower! Luckily game 7 hours away! pic.twitter.com/BvRrIP5H2U

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 24, 2016

I must be back in Dhaka! Huge clouds, dark, can see the lights in the shops at 1145 in the morning! Hopefully will clear.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 24, 2016

# Raina goes out with Dhawan, Bhajji

# GAME CHANGERS

 

India’s Virat Kohli will be the most sought after wicket at the Asia Cup. (Source: AP)

With Asia Cup being played in a T20 avatar for the very first time keeping ICC World T20 in mind, the tournament gets even more important than it usually does. With two tournaments of such stature being played back-to-back, it becomes important for the squad to be shuffled appropriately and not allow fatigue to creep in.
# PREVIEW: Continental appetiser before main course
 

Bangladesh’s Mashrafe Mortaza, India’s MS Dhoni, UAE’s Amjad Javed and Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga pose with the Asia Cup trophy in Dhaka on Tuesday. (Source: AP)

THE WILLS Little Flower School in Kakrail, Dhaka, had a reputation of rolling out quality cricketers. Former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud — that diminutive medium-pacer who felled mighty Pakistan in 1999 — counts as their star product. West End School, not far away in Azimpur, was equally prolific as a breeding ground for future national cricketers. The two schools had been great rivals on the field, spicing up the national school cricket championships in the 80s and ‘90s.

# In Mustafizur, T20I laggards Bangladesh get cutter edge
 

Mustafizur Rahman played nine matches last year, picking 26 scalps at 12.34.

Mustafizur Rahman’s international debut was impressive. It was a T20 international against Pakistan and the left-arm seamer from Khulna division returned with 2/20 in four overs. His transition to 50-over format was natural and it was where the teenager announced his presence.

With hours left for the Asia Cup to start with the opener to be played between India and Bangladesh in Dhaka, MS Dhoni and Co. are in full flow to hit the ground running.
Hardik Pandya showed he can hit big ones during the second T20 against Sri Lanka. Let’s hope he can do that in Dhaka too. The net session seem to suggest so!

.@hardikpandya7 is sweating it out in the nets ahead of the #AsiaCup. #TeamIndia plays @BCBtigers on Feb 24thhttp://t.co/wXBQQf981A

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 22, 2016

While Shikhar Dhawan and Harbhajan Singh were involved in camaraderie building (or just jovial?) exercise as they arm wrestled.
Suresh Raina looked to be able to hit the ball cleanly as well..

Down the track and off she goes to the stands. @ImRaina hitting them clean #AsiaCuppic.twitter.com/CWMLVhsuzr

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 22, 2016

… As could Shikhar Dhawan. (Surely that’s destined to reach the boundary!)

Watch the @SDhawan25 signature drive in the nets #IndvBan#AsiaCuphttp://t.co/NxJSBMwiSi

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 23, 2016

They’re more likely to be useful with the bat but they can be handy with the ball too. First up – Virat Kohli.

How many of you would want to see @imVkohli bowl against @BCBtigers? Match starts at 7.00 PM IST tomorrow #AsiaCuphttp://t.co/6S9C6wuoAx

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 23, 2016

And then Yuvraj Singh.

.@YUVSTRONG12 rolls his arm over in the nets ahead of the match against @BCBtigers #AsiaCuphttp://t.co/FMFUAa4QfK

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 23, 2016

To wrap up…

Here’s how #TeamIndia spent their day in the nets on the eve of #IndvBan #AsiaCuphttp://t.co/pDrZu082ya

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 23, 2016

Asia Cup 2016: India vs Bangladesh – Timing, Team news, possible playing XI, pitch, weather conditions

India open their Asia Cup 2016 campaign against hosts Bangladesh on Wednesday, and the side will be keen to keep their in-form run going strongly.

The first Twenty20 game is being played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur in Dhaka.

Here are the important things one must know ahead of the game.

Team news: The major question lies as in whether skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will start the game or not. Dhoni, who suffered a muscle spasm during training, was reported skipping practice on the eve of the match. His replacement Parthiv Patel, is likely to take the field and come to bat lower down the order.

India is unlikely to risk Dhoni with the ICC Twenty20 World Cup round the corner, as there lies a big chance for Parthiv to excel, if he gets a chance to bat. Apart from this, Dhoni's deputy Virat Kohli, makes a return to the side and will replace Ajinkya Rahane.

Bangladesh will have to decide as to who will partner Soumya Sarkar at the top. Imrul Kayes was was called in the Asia Cup squad for the on-leave Tamim Iqbal, and is one of the choices, while Mohammad Mithun fills the other slot. The latter could get the nod given he is in the T20 World Cup squad too.

Bangladesh also might opt for Nurul Hasan in the wicketkeeping role. That will leave first choice Mushfiqur Rahim to just concentrate on batting.

Pitch conditions: With the playing surface expected to be a good batting surface assisting pacers early on, it is likely that Hardik Pandya will be preferred above Pawan Negi or Harbhajan Singh.

Weather conditions: There is a good chance that the game might be affected by rain. In the morning the conditions were overcast with drops of rain. But the sun came out moments later to highlight the unpredictability of the weather in Dhaka.

Possible starting XI:

India: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Parthiv Patel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah.

Bangladesh: Mohammad Mithun (wk), Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Nurul Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Arafat Sunny, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed.

The match will start at 7:00 pm IST.