BAN VS IND MATCH 2

The wait is over and after a hiatus of 8 years, the ICC Champions Trophy returns! The much-awaited tournament will be played across Pakistan and Dubai with hosts and reigning champions Pakistan looking to repeat their success from 2017. It is now time for Match 2 of the competition between Bangladesh and last time's runners-up India which will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. While history heavily favors India, Bangladesh's recent cricketing revolution makes them a far cry from the pushovers of yesteryear. This promises to be a captivating encounter, a true test of both teams' mettle. India's batting lineup, a constellation of stars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and others, possesses the kind of firepower that can dismantle any bowling attack on its day. Their ability to accelerate and chase down big totals is well-documented. However, they'll be wary of a Bangladeshi bowling unit that has shown it can be dangerous. Mustafizur Rahman's variations and cutters will be a constant threat, and the likes of Taskin Ahmed and Mehidy Hasan Miraz will look to contribute crucial breakthroughs. The last time both teams played an ODI at this venue was back in September 2018 and it was the Asia Cup Final which India won against Bangladesh. India boasts a record of 5 wins in 6 ODI games at this venue which all took place in that 2018 Asia Cup whereas Bangladesh have played 3 and won 1. Talking a bit more about the teams, the biggest miss from India will be Jasprit Bumrah who is out injured and for Bangladesh, their premier all-rounder Shakib al Hasan isn't a part of the squad after failing tests for a suspected bowling action a while back. With the conditions generally pace-friendly in Dubai, India have surprisingly gone with just 3 out-and-out pacers along with Hardik Pandya but they do have 5 proper spinners in the squad which means they want to stick to their strengths regardless of the conditions. On the flip side, Bangladesh have their regular pacers like Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman to go along with the likes of Nahid Rana who is an upcoming star for Bangladesh. As for the batting department, that has always been an area of concern whenever Bangladesh play in big tournaments and against the top teams. A lot will ride on skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto at the number 3 position as he would be looking to anchor the innings, allowing the likes of Tawhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah to attack later on. India on the other hand are coming off a fine batting performance in the home series against England and the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were able to find some crucial form with the likes of Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer really coming into their own. All in all, the conditions should balance things out a bit, allowing Bangladesh a chance to attack with their seamers but the real challenge will be for their batters against the seasoned and in-form Indian bowling lineup. Also, if the pitch is on the drier side, we might even see some purchase for the spinners in the first innings which could play a huge role as well in this game. Can Bangladesh pull off a huge upset and start their campaign with a bang? Or will India yet again get the better of their neighbors and march on their merry way? Only time will tell.