On Sunday, December 4, Bangladesh won the improbable first ODI by one wicket to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against India.
The Men in Blue struggled to get going in their first innings, scoring only 186 runs before being run out.
The objective was continuously going to be gettable for the hosts. However, the Indian bowlers put up a great fight in the second innings, taking as many as nine wickets while allowing only 136 runs to be scored.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz won the first one-day international match with a match-winning 38-run knock-off of 39 balls while the visitors were on the verge of securing victory.
When Bangladesh and India meet for the second one-day international in Dhaka on Wednesday, December 7, the Indian bowlers will hope to make up for their lack of preparation and execution by taking Bangladesh’s elusive final wicket.
In light of this, let’s take a look at some matchups that could have a significant impact on the outcome of the upcoming second One-Day International:
#1 Rohit Sharma vs. Shakib Al Hasan
Rohit Sharma, India’s second-highest run-getter on Sunday, gave the first One-Day International a steady start. The Indian skipper returned to 50-over cricket after more than four months, scoring four boundaries and a six on the powerplay before Bangladesh turned to their hero Shakib Al Hasan.
The left-arm spinner got right to work and got rid of the Indian opener in just two balls. Shakib threw a slider that went right through Rohit’s bat and pad.
Litton Das, captain of Bangladesh, might use the same tactic to get Rohit back in the second one-day international. However, in order to avoid losing his wicket to the skillful left-arm spinner, the Mumbai youth will now attempt to tackle Shakib cautiously.
#2 Litton Das vs. Mohammed Siraj
The matchup between Bangladesh’s highest run-getter, Litton Das, and India’s highest wicket-taker, Mohammed Siraj, from the first ODI, on Wednesday, will be interesting to watch.
Das will try to live up to his reputation for Bangladesh as a prolific batter, particularly when playing against India. Similarly, Siraj’s 50-over career has seen a meteoric rise, and he will hope to maintain his excellent bowling form.
Siraj will undoubtedly make use of the assistance off the surface to his advantage, whereas the captain of Bangladesh will attempt to play his shots during the powerplay. The battle between the two may well set the tone for the game in what promises to be a fascinating matchup.
#3 Shreyas Iyer vs. Ebadot Hossain
Ebadot Hossain is a genuine pacer who can make short deliveries in a few clicks, so it is expected that he will put Shreyas Iyer through his paces in the second one-day international.
The Bangladeshi pacer prevailed in the first match between the two and defeated Iyer with his persistent bouncers.
Even though the Indian middle-order batsman has been one of the most consistent run-getters recently, he has struggled with short-pitched deliveries for some time.