India vs Bangladesh: How will Dubai's Cold Temperature impact Bowlers? Which team holds the Advantage?

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India will be up against Bangladesh in Dubai as they commence their Champions Trophy 2025 journey on Thursday (February 20).

India will play all of their matches in Dubai after citing security reasons for not playing in Pakistan.

When it comes to Dubai, the middle-eastern city is not a stranger to the Indian team. They have played IPL, and other tournaments in the UAE city in the past few years and will be familiar with the conditions. But this is the first time India will be playing in the month of February.

Dubai Weather on February 20

According to BBC Weather, the temperature in Dubai will be around 27 C in the day time while it may dip to around 18-19 C in the evening on February 20.

Dubai Temperature Impact on Pitch

During the day, the pitch tends to remain dry and hard, favoring spinners as the surface becomes abrasive, leading to more turn and variable bounce. As temperatures drop in the evening, dew accumulation becomes a crucial factor. The presence of moisture on the pitch reduces the grip for spinners, making it harder for them to extract turn.

India vs Bangladesh: Which Team will benefit from Low Temperature in Dubai?

A low temperature and hard pitch provide good bounce, favouring bowlers who can hit the deck hard. The dry air increases the chances of reverse swing, which can be exploited effectively by experienced pacers.

With increasing humidity and dew, fast bowlers struggle with a slippery ball, making gripping and controlling swing difficult. Seam movement is reduced, forcing pacers to focus on variations like cutters and slower balls. It will be a similar struggle for spinners as well, whose virility shall decrease significantly with the dew.

The match shall start at 1 pm local time in Dubai, which is aimed to lessen the impact of the dew. But we can expect the dew to play a part as the temperature drops following sunset. During the Asia Cup, T20 World Cup - the temperature was much higher but the dew was persistent, which means it shall have a bigger role this time.

Which Team Will Benefit More?

For the India vs Bangladesh match, India might have a slight advantage in these conditions. Indian spinners, known for their adaptability on dry, turning pitches, can extract assistance during the daytime. Additionally, their pace attack has experience in reverse swing, which could be crucial. However, if Bangladesh wins the toss and opts to chase, their batters may find it easier to play in dewy conditions, negating India's spin strength.

A pacer such as Nahid Rana for Bangladesh will have conditions which favour him in Dubai, similarly someone like Arshdeep Singh will be tasked to extract purchase from the deck if India bowl first. In terms of spin bowling, Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja may play a crucial role even if the temperature dips and dew arrives, where India hold a significant advantage over the Tigers.