IND vs BAN: Bangladeshi journalists decode the reason behind intense rivalry between two teams in ODIs

India vs Bangladesh ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Team India is set to take on Bangladesh in their fourth league match in the ongoing showpiece event at MCA Stadium in Pune on Thursday (October 19).

Team India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, during the press conference on the eve of the match on October 18, admitted they are going to stick to the winning combination in the upcoming game as they are not taking their neighbours lightly.

IND vs BAN Rivalry in ODIs

The rivalry between the two teams has been interesting in the recent past as there has never been a dull moment in an India-Bangladesh match in the limited-overs format. ICC World Cup 2023: Pune's MCA International Stadium finds its rightful place in cricket history

The Bangla Tigers defeated India in the 2007 World Cup in West Indies in the group stage and that defeat hurt the Men in Blue badly as they were eliminated from the tournament in the first round.

Since that defeat, Team India has registered a win over Bangladesh in the following editions i.e. 2011, 2015, and 2019. Fans are expecting the Rohit Sharma-led side to keep the winning momentum going but it will be easier said than done as this Bangladesh team is capable of upsets.

The rivalry between India and Bangladesh in the ODIs has grown intense in the recent past. The matches often end up in nail-biting finishes and teams look to fight till the very end to end up on the winning side. MCA Stadium, Pune Pitch Report & Weather Forecast for IND vs BAN ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Match 17

While speaking with Mykhel, Bangladeshi journalists gave their opinion on the IND-BAN rivalry, why it is getting intense with every passing game, and some of the burning issues in Bangladesh Cricket.

Senior journalist Muhammad Chowdhury, who works for Maasranga TV in Bangladesh, told MyKhel, "In the last few years, the India-Bangladesh rivalry has gone to the next level, yes it hasn't yet matched up to the Indo-Pakistan rivalry but it sure is catching up because of the quality of matches between the two sides."

Mehidy Hasan Miraz Performance in ODI World Cup

When asked how crucial a player Mehidy Hasan Miraz is going to be for Bangladesh against a strong side like India, Mr Chowdhury backed the all-rounder to do well against the Men in Blue looking at his current form in the ODIs.

"Mehidy Hasan Miraz is a quality all-rounder. He's been doing well for Bangladesh in the limited-overs format. In the tournament opener against Afghanistan, he played a good knock. We are expecting a good knock from him against India as he seems to love playing against them and gets extra motivation while facing them," Mr Chowdhury added.

IND-BAN Intense Rivalry in ODIs

Tausia Islam, who works for Deepto TV, while speaking with MyKhel explained why the level of competition between India and Bangladesh has gone up in the recent past. Bangladesh has defeated India three times since December last year and lost just one ODI game. Also Read: Indians who scored a century against Bangladesh in WC

"The match against India gives extra motivation to the Bangladeshi players, they look more determined to challenge the Men In Blue and not give it up easily. This is evident from the kind of matches we are witnessing between the two teams. The boys are mentally stronger [which was bound to happen] now and they are not intimidated by the big names in the opposition ranks," Tausia claimed.

Tamim Iqbal-Shakib Al Hasan Controversy

When asked if the team is missing the services of senior batter Tamim Iqbal, who wasn't picked up by skipper Shakib Al Hasan just before the team's departure for India, as the Bangla Tigers are unable to get off to a good start, she claimed it has definitely disturbed the balance of the side.

"Of course, the team is missing a senior player like Tamim Iqbal. The fact that Bangladesh had just two set openers Tamim and Litton Das before the World Cup, is hurting the team. Tamim's absence has put extra pressure on Litton," the Dhaka-based journalist said.

Mr Chowdhury, when enquired about the controversy between Shakib and Tamim, termed it unfortunate and claimed it could have been avoided had both players kept their egos aside and thought about the benefit of the team.

"Definitely, it could have been avoided. Nobody is bigger than the country and team management should have handled it well and solved it amicably. Tamim Iqbal should have been here in India for the World Cup and that is very unfortunate. The captain should have kept his personal differences aside and thought of the team's well-being going into a big tournament like the World Cup," he said.

The reason behind quality pace attack in Bangladesh

When asked about the reason why a fresh and talented crop of pacers who are constantly bursting onto the scene in Bangladesh Cricket, Chowdhury credited former captain and legend Mashrafe Mortaza and late Zimbabwe cricketer Heath Streak.

"The credit for this young crop of fast bowlers in Bangladesh goes to the alliance between Mashrafe Mortaza and former coach Heath Streak. When Streak joined Bangladesh cricket as coach in 2014, he stressed harnessing a young crop of fast bowlers and today we are seeing a result of the same.

"Earlier there were quality spinners in the Bangladeshi side, now we have a big talent pool of pacers in Bangladesh. Even today there are three or four young pacers who can directly get a spot in this current Bangladesh World Cup side. BPL has also played a good role by providing a competitive platform for youngsters to express themselves," Mr Chowdhury signed off.