Trivandrum: After finding no luck in India, the Netherlands travel across the border to take on Bangladesh in the first match of the day at Chittagong, with this being their last realistic chance of picking up a win in the tournament. But for the Bangla Tigers, a win on Monday would lift them to fourth in Group B, ahead of England, with both teams having just one more game to come.
After their late order heroics against the Three Lions, Shakib al Hasan’s side will be confident of winning this crunch game. The spinners dominated in their last outing with Shakib, Abdur Razzak, Naeem Islam and Mahmudullah all contributing at crucial points.
After their late order heroics against the Three Lions, Shakib al Hasan’s side will be confident of winning this crunch game. The spinners dominated in their last outing with Shakib, Abdur Razzak, Naeem Islam and Mahmudullah all contributing at crucial points.
That will be their main weapon throughout the event and against the Dutch, their four-pronged spin attack should do the damage. Netherlands capitulated against the Indian spinners in the middle overs in their last match, and will be put under the sword by Shakib and co. The fact that there are a lot of right-handed batsmen in the Netherlands squad makes the world class left-arm spinners, Razzak and Shakib, the ones to watch out for.
Imrul Kayes played a good knock against England, but again, Tamim Iqbal is the player who has to fire for Bangladesh to get a formidable score. Tamim has got off to starts in the tournament, but has been guilty of throwing them away. Against a Dutch bowling attack composed largely of right arm medium pacers, Tamim could shine.
In the day-night Group A game, Pakistan will look to put the slight hiccup of the collapse against New Zealand behind them, when they take on Zimbabwe. The Zimbabweans are pretty much out of the tournament after their loss to Sri Lanka, and will need a miracle from here on to qualify for the quarterfinals.
Imrul Kayes played a good knock against England, but again, Tamim Iqbal is the player who has to fire for Bangladesh to get a formidable score. Tamim has got off to starts in the tournament, but has been guilty of throwing them away. Against a Dutch bowling attack composed largely of right arm medium pacers, Tamim could shine.
In the day-night Group A game, Pakistan will look to put the slight hiccup of the collapse against New Zealand behind them, when they take on Zimbabwe. The Zimbabweans are pretty much out of the tournament after their loss to Sri Lanka, and will need a miracle from here on to qualify for the quarterfinals.
However, they will take heart from having managed to put up a fight against the fancied Lankans, even after the record breaking first-wicket partnership between Tillakratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga. Brendan Taylor’s knock at the top of the order at Pallekele threatened to throw up an upset for a while, but the game ended with his dismissal. Playing at the same ground, Zimbabwe will feel they are in with a chance if they play well.
But Pakistan’s bunch of unpredictable stars, captained by the effervescent Shahid Afridi, will be determined to put on a show that erases the memory of the humiliating loss to the Kiwis. Pakistan are a dangerous side on any surface, on any given day, but a wounded and cornered Pak side can produce the best or the worst cricket in the world.
For fans of the Rockstars in Green, the expectation will be that Monday’s jig is of the former variety!
Prediction: Bangladesh to win against the Dutch. Pakistan to bounce back from defeat in stunning fashion.
But Pakistan’s bunch of unpredictable stars, captained by the effervescent Shahid Afridi, will be determined to put on a show that erases the memory of the humiliating loss to the Kiwis. Pakistan are a dangerous side on any surface, on any given day, but a wounded and cornered Pak side can produce the best or the worst cricket in the world.
For fans of the Rockstars in Green, the expectation will be that Monday’s jig is of the former variety!
Prediction: Bangladesh to win against the Dutch. Pakistan to bounce back from defeat in stunning fashion.
