*INDIA WOMEN VS BANGLADESH WOMEN 2nd ODI IN A 3 MATCH ODI SERIES 2023 PREVIEW*
*THE BUILD UP:*
It started off in a pretty sober manner, with the world watching and expecting another Indian win to open this ODI series. But, by the time the game ended, we were all shell shocked by what we just witnessed. India were down and out away from home and they ended up handing the hosts a maiden ODI win against them. Marufa Akhter, who was the chief architect of this victory coupled with the magic of Rabeya Khan and the batting stability of Nigar Sultana, had stunned the visitors who’d be feeling gutted and also have a sense of urgency in order to level this series. But from whatever we have seen so far on this tour, the Bangladeshi women are made of tough wood- they aren’t gonna give up easily and to expect them to go down without a fight is like expecting Australia to not dominate an ICC event.
As we head out for the second One-Day International at Dhaka with the pitches tired and worn out, we are sure to expect a low scoring thriller again and whichever side gets the better of the other with the bat in hand, will emerge victorious and make a solid point.
*INDIA PROBABLE XI:*
Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Devika Vaidya, Pooja Vastrakar, Sneh Rana, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Monica Patel
The big guns of this team, in the batting need to step up and rise to the occasion. Their character and their skills is all India needs right now on these difficult and challenging tracks and if even one out of Harman/Smriti/Shafali go big, the Indian bowlers would start to feel much more confidence and have that self belief to defend. It all comes down to being patience and churning down the bowling which Mandhana loves to do and it’s something that she cherishes. In a game where the stakes are this high, you can’t rule out the batting of Harman as well who has made it a constant habit to deliver when everything goes down. The senior pros of India Women need to be at it, for a reversal tomorrow.
I had predicted the duo of Deepti Sharma and Vaidya to come clutch and bowl nicely in tandem and they didn’t disappoint. Even though Amanjot Kaur starred with an impressive three-fer, the duo collected 3 wickets and gave away just 62 runs off their 16 overs combined. You can’t quite fault the bowlers when they roll Bangladesh over for a mere 152 and nothing but appreciation comes from your heart to see them operate so well in conditions unknown to them. If India are to level this series, the top 6 need to gather courage and bat maturely.
*BAN PROBABLE XI:*
Shamima Sultana, Nigar Sultana (c and wk), Fargana Hoque, Nahida Akter, Disha Biswas, Sobhana Mostary, Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Marufa Akter, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun
Nigar Sultana, though slow, has found her mojo throughout this tour. She has made vital impactful contributions in order to get that run tally up and contribute to her team’s success from time to time. It goes without saying that the skipper is leading from the front and rallying all others around her. She was the top run getter the other day with a 39 and at the end, it proved to be the difference between a win and a loss. Another bold job is in the wings.
Bangladesh’s bowling attack is having the time of their lives. They have tied the Indians down, not letting them escape and have managed to keep some of the greats of the game quiet too. There is not a single bowler in that lineup that seems to be the weak point at this moment, with all chipping in with the correct inputs. The pair- Marufa Akhter and Rabeya Khan accounted for a total of 7 wickets and conceded just 59 runs for the same. They would be high on confidence and morale and the Indians will have to play them with a sense of responsibility and keep the scoreboard ticking in order to negate the threat.
*MY PREDICTIONS:*
*FOR IND W:*
Highest run getter- Harmanpreet Kaur/Smriti Mandhana
Highest wicket taker- Deepti Sharma/AmanJot Kaur
*FOR BAN:*
Highest run getter- Nigar Sultana/Shamima Sultana
Highest wicket taker- Rabeya Khan/Marufa Akhter
*FOR THE GAME:*
India to make inroads and win a close second game