Asia Cup 2016 Finale: Bangladesh vs India

Asia Cup 2016 Match Preview : Bangladesh vs India

Unstoppable so far with clinical performances, a formidable India will square off against a passionate and sprightly Bangladesh in their quest for continental supremacy in the final of the Asia Cup Twenty20 cricket tournament, here on Sunday.

On paper, India are overwhelming favourites as the ICC rankings (India's 1st vs Bangladesh's 10th) suggests. But it counts for little in the shortest format, wherein the complexion of the game can change in a matter of one over.

A master plot always has sub-plots and this final will be no different. There will be little testing battles, which promise to make it an intriguing summit clash.

Whether it is Tamim Iqbal's flamboyance against Jasprit Bumrah's surprise element or young Soumya Sarkar's cavalier approach against Ashish Nehra's years of experience, there are enough ingredients for a heady battle.

Ravichandran Ashwin's guile against Sabbir Rahaman's conventional yet dangerously attacking batsmanship or Rohit Sharma's artistry against Taskin Ahmed's youthful exuberance can also be a spectator's delight.

The only missing link will be Mustafizur Rahman, out with a Grade I side strain.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be looking at a bigger picture as the Asian title will mark the perfect preparation before the ICC World T20 at home.

His opposite number Mashrafe Mortaza is not at all looking that far ahead as an Asian title will mean a watershed moment for T20 cricket in the country and a solid boost before they face the Netherlands and Ireland in the qualifying round of the marquee event in picturesque Dharamsala.

It will be a battle between a team full of T20 specialists against a team which has learnt to consistently punch above its weight.

And with the most partisan 25,000 supporters creating an awful din, it will not be an easy job for Dhoni and his men when Mortaza's boys try to put them under the pump in a floodlit Sher-e-Bangla stadium.

For Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and Virat Kohli -- playing a big final is not new. They have been there and done that before.

For Mashrafe, Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, the taste of a title win is something alien. They came very near to it in 2012 when Pakistan crossed the final hurdle as Mahmudullah Riyadh choked in the final overs.

The same Mahmudullah is a 'man of big occasions' for Bangladesh as he has more than redeemed himself with that boundary off Anwar Ali to take his team to the final.

But then, no one remembers the second best and Dhoni knows that too well. He will leave no stone unturned to emerge victorious before embarking on his journey to reclaim the World T20 trophy.
Both teams have done well in the tournament but India have looked the most complete side and in skipper's words, "a balanced side with all bases covered."

With nine wins out of 10, the Indian juggernaut has been rolling since the start of the T20 series against Australia, that begun in Adelaide.

But the 11th match will be a tricky test more so because it is being played on Bangladeshi soil.
The hostile crowd can create pressure on youngsters like Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, playing their first final for India. But both boys have had the experience of playing under pressure in the Indian Premier League which will come in handy.

After giving the reserve bench an opportunity, India are expected to be bring back their usual playing XI. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are expected to open the innings.

While Rohit has been the top-scorer among the Indians with 137 runs, Dhawan so far has looked shaky despite full backing from his captain.

Kohli, with two man of the match performances under his belt, will look to end the tournament on a high with another significant contribution.

Suresh Raina is expected to fare better if the pitch does not have a lot of bounce and carry while Yuvraj has got back into the groove with couple of good knocks against Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates.

In case Bangladesh opts for a slower wicket, his left-arm spin will also come in handy.
Skipper Dhoni has given a good account of himself so far despite not being hundred per cent fit in first few matches but he will be tested if the top-order collapses and he is compelled to come by the 10th over.

Pandya has shown his big hitting prowess in the match against Bangladesh. Although he has got some success with ball having bagged seven wickets so far, he has not done well with willow after the game against hosts.

That will certainly spur him to do well against the Bangladeshis, against whom he scored 31 off 18 balls in the opening game of the tournament.

Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Nehra will come back and take their places in the playing XI.
Bangladesh are also expected to retain the XI that played against Pakistan, the other night. In absence of Mustafizur, it is expected that the home team will go with two spinners.
Arafat Sunny , who took two crucial wickets against Pakistan, is expected to keep his place in the side.

Teams:

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli. Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah, Ajinkya Rahane, Harbhajan Singh, Pawan Negi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahaman, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib-Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyadh, Mohammed Mithun, Arafat Sunny, Taskin Ahmed, Al-Amin Hossain, Nasir Hossain, Abu Hider, Nurul Hasan, Imrul Kayes.

Match starts 7pm (IST).

Asia Cup: Dhoni expects 'very good final', Mortaza wants 'feet on ground'

Image Courtesy: Getty Images

At least in home conditions, Bangladesh have come out of the shadow of 'minnows' and present themselves as potent threat, which shows in their wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan en route to the 2016 Asia Cup final.

Under Mashrafe Mortaza, who likes to lead from the front, Bangladesh have transformed into a dangerous limited-overs team. And if that status was argued in the T20 arena, the team has rectified it in the Asia Cup.

Players like Taskin Ahmed, Sabbir Rahman and World Cup-hero Mahmudullah have come into their own when loaded with responsibility – which has allowed establishes stars Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahman and Mortaza to play without much pressure.

But the skipper wants the team to come back to the ground from their leaps following the win against Pakistan.

"The final is still to be played. I advise everyone to keep their feet on the ground and play their natural game. I ask them not to take any extra pressure," Mortaza was quoted as saying by bdnews24.com.

Mortaza credited the 'confidence' from a good home season for his team's giant-killing run into the final.

"The players had confidence and it worked. We will try to give our best [in the final]. If we can, it will be a great game."

The Bangla Tigers will need all that confidence in the final, where they will meet a different beast in India.

MS Dhoni's team has been on a roll, winning 9 of their last 10 T20Is, which includes an ongoing 6-match unbeaten run.

It's been a perfect build-up for India, who will host the ICC World Twenty beginning March 8. And the team make-up, which includes six all-rounders, is what you want to see in a T20 unit.
Batting is not just well settled but firing as well. Ashish Nehra's return is only short of becoming a folklore and the spinners led by R Ashwin are applying the choke they are famous for on slow and low subcontinent tracks.

But Dhoni expects a "good final" based on how Bangladesh are playing and the home support they enjoy.

"We will have to come up with another big performance in the final. Bangladesh are a good team and they have improved a lot. It should be a good final," Dhoni has said.

"Any good team, if they are the home team, they will always know the conditions very well. So to beat a home team is always difficult. Also Bangladesh, over the years has developed a lot. They have improved their strength.

The skipper has stressed on the unpredictability of the T20 format and how a good day can turn into a winning day for the team.

"A lot depends on which team plays better cricket. This format the difference between the two teams can often be just one knock, one individual having a very good day or one bowler having a very good day. The difference between a good team and not-so-good team can be just a performance on that particular day," the Indian skipper said.

Dhoni then stressed on the importance of his team, indicating that they have all bases covered.
"We now have three proper seamers, two spinners and if needed part-timers. I think it is the right combination. And even if you go for a few extra runs, with the batting that we have - till No. 8, I think we can look to get those extra runs if the opposition scores off us. So I think this team is set for playing in any conditions, whether you are playing in India or outside India. It looks like a very balanced team."

Asia Cup final: Bragging rights not the only prize for India and Bangladesh

Indian pacer Ashish Nehra reacts after the dismissal of Bangladesh batsman Mohammad Mithun during a Twenty20 cricket match at The Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. (AFP)

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Last time India were in Bangladesh, they were shocked 2-1 in a bilateral series that led to hysteria here and widespread criticism back home. For cricket fans in Bangladesh, the win was akin to exacting revenge for India’s quarterfinal win in the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which many here believe could have gone in their favour if not for an alleged umpiring error.

Ad wars added to the fire. A local mobile service provider runs an advertisement here that mocks India for not acknowledging Bangladesh’s superiority on the field. The Bangladeshi side though has come a long way since the World Cup. In the past year they have won series against Pakistan, India and South Africa. In the Asia Cup Twenty20 they have once again upset the apple cart by beating heavyweights Sri Lanka and Pakistan to reach the final.

However, the one team they have not been able to beat in the tournament is India, their opponents in Sunday’s title clash at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. Although Bangladesh’s bowlers had shown glimpses of magic that left the Indian batsmen rattled initially in the league game, the Men in Blue inflicted a convincing win over the hosts.

India’s biggest strength has been their batting that has held its own on wickets that have tilted heavily in favour of the bowlers. The likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have led the batting line-up with mature knocks. In the bowling department, senior pro Ashish Nehra has combine well with youngsters Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya to deliver the breakthroughs.

However, they will be wary of a Bangladesh side who have been on a roll since the opening tie.
Despite the hiccup against India, Bangladesh romped into the final, winning all three of their remaining league games. Led by Mashrafe Mortaza, the Tigers have been in ominous form. The exciting five-wicket win over Pakistan , that saw them through to the final, is sure to have given their confidence a great boost.

Lately the narrative before each India-Bangladesh game has followed a similar pattern – that of an evolving rivalry. A win on Sunday, will give both sides a chance to earn a ton of bragging rights before their next clash. More importantly, it would give them a chance to be called the best in Asia.
However with the World T20 just days away, a win here could prove something much valuable. It might just be the catalyst that could propel either side to go all the way in the upcoming marquee event.