Daijiworld Media Network

Melbourne, Mar 19 : Dhawan scored a hundred the last time he batted here. He is a big match player and Rohit would be looking to get his touch back. Sunny and very bright now. The countdown begins and ends quickly. Mortaza is warming up and is ready to go. What a game we have on hand. Two slips in place.

The two anthems are done. Magnificent atmosphere at the 'G' today. Even spread of Bangladeshi and Indian supporters in. Green vs Blue. Huge flags in their hands. Dhawan straps his gloves on and walks out along with Rohit. The Bangladeshis are in a team huddle and they break out of it with a spring in their step.

Teams:

India (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma

Bangladesh (Playing XI): Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza(c), Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed

India have won the toss and have opted to bat

India's intensity, determination and allround skills can combine to overpower a fearless Bangladesh in the quarterfinals of the WC 2015 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday. But only if they embrace the right emotions and not complacency that can creep in at the thought of facing the 'easiest' of the opponents in the round of eight.

India return to the scene of one of their most memorable wins in this World Cup taming South Africa after beating Pakistan in their opening game in Adelaide. India have managed their recovery and training, including backroom preparation, well. They can add another victory on Thursday if they approach the match with due respect.

That India are playing with immense confidence rather than arrogance was shown when they slipped past tricky situations against West Indies and Zimbabwe, thanks to Mahendra Singh Dhoni's calming influence. They will be hoping that the top-order batsmen will not make the mistake of treating Bangladesh's bowlers with a complacent demeanour.

There have been attempts to evoke memories of 2007 World Cup when India were surprised by a pack of left-arm spinners and lost to Bangladesh in Port of Spain. But the focus on that would dilute as soon as freeze frames of India's whipping of Bangladesh on their home ground surface.

India's bowling attack has acquitted itself admirably, with the team being the only one to claim all 60 wickets in the league phase. In the run-up to this game, the players have found the right mix of intensity and joy.

Well as Bangladesh themselves have batted in the World Cup, Mahmudullah scoring back-to-back hundreds against England and New Zealand, their only 300-plus score came against lowly Scotland. Unless their pace bowlers step up the plate, they will find it hard to stop India from making it to the Sydney semifinal against Australia or Pakistan.

Undoubtedly, Thursday will be among Bangladesh cricket's biggest days, not because they will be playing their 300th ODI but more since they have put themselves in line for a semifinal spot for the first time. With fearlessness as their accomplice, they will be primed to give it their best shot just as they attempted in their last game against New Zealand.

They were fortunate to share points with Australia after rain in Brisbane washed their Group A game off but they showed they had kept in touch with the modern game during their 15-run victory over England in Adelaide. The fast-medium bowling trio of skipper Mashrafe Mortaza, Rubel Hossain and Taskin Ahmed have 19 wickets but can be a handful.

Bangladesh coach, Chandika Hathurusingha has often pointed out that the team was not afraid to fail. 'If we are paralysed by failure, we are not pushing ourselves, that's what we have talked about throughout this World Cup. I think the freedom to do things and believing in ourselves has been the key. We are backing ourselves to do well,' he said.

Cricketers and coaches, irrespective of nationality or teams they are attached to, also keep reminding us that the past does not matter as much as what a team does on a given day. Bangladesh will be bidding fair to make Thursday count as their own while India, carrying committed heavyweight performers in their ranks, will seek to extend their winning run.