Indian bowlers (L-R) Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh and Pawan Negi take part in a net practice session on the eve of their match against Bangladesh. PHOTO: AFP
BANGLORE: India skipper MS Dhoni urged his big-hitters to improve their net run-rate dramatically against Bangladesh on Wednesday or face the prospect of a humiliating early exit from the World T20 on home soil. The hosts are precariously placed in fourth spot of Group 2 after one defeat and one win in their opening two games. They desperately need a big victory to strengthen their bid for a semi-finals berth.
India’s six-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday will have boosted their confidence after a shock 47-run defeat to New Zealand in their opening group match.
But Dhoni said India, who were firm favourites at the start of the tournament to lift a second World T20 title, needed to improve to qualify from a tough group that also includes Australia.
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“I still feel there is room for improvement and in the coming two games that will be our priority,” said the captain. “In the first game, our run-rate went down. So it’s not only about winning, but you have to take care of the run-rate at some point.”
The hosts are seeking to become the first country to win the World T20 twice, after clinching the crown in 2007, and also the first to win at home.
However, the hosts know they cannot afford to be complacent in what will be a repeat of the 2016 Asia Cup final that India won. Veteran fast bowler Ashish Nehra, part of the Indian side that won the World Cup in 2011, said Bangladesh could not be ‘taken lightly’.
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“Only two teams will qualify. Till the time [you do], you need to approach every game as a knockout game. There’s not too much room for error,” the 36-year-old said in a pre-match press conference on Tuesday. “We are not taking Bangladesh lightly.”
Bangladesh, by comparison, will be desperate for a win after two straight losses, the latest to Australia by three wickets on Monday.
Sitting at the bottom of their group after also losing to Pakistan, the Tigers have almost no chance of advancing to the semi-finals, but skipper Mashrafe Mortaza vowed to battle on.
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“We will keep fighting. We still have two matches to fight hard,” he said.
The Tigers were left reeling after the International Cricket Council’s decision at the weekend to suspend their top bowlers Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed for illegal actions, forcing them to rush in replacements from Bangladesh.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 23rd, 2016.
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