World T20, India vs Bangladesh: Players to watch out for

Galvanised by their win over arch-rivals Pakistan, a confident India will look for another victory and inch closer to the semifinals of the World T20 when they take on struggling Bangladesh on Wednesday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

India are placed fourth in the points table and need a convincing win over Bangladesh to improve their Net Run Rate. Bangladesh, on the other hand, are on the verge of being knocked out of the event and a win would go a long way in giving them a mathematical chance of making the last- four stage. However, their chances of making it to the semis looks all but over even if they beat India.

Current form of the two teams would make India outright favourites for the match. CricketNext looks at the key players from both sides.

India:

Virat Kohli: India's formidable batting line-up will be led by none other than man who could do no wrong at the moment - Virat Kohli. His form gives them a clear edge over Bangladesh and if he can continues his heroic run on Wednesday, the Bangladeshi bowlers are expected to have a hard time. Kohli is coming into the match after a fanstatic fifty against Pakistan that lifted the team out of the danger zone. Batting first or chasing doesn't matter much to Kohli, who likes challenges being thrown at him. Having already faced Bangladesh twice in the Asia Cup - he knows them as an opposition very well and is expected to come out all guns blazing.

Rohit Sharma: The right-hander always seems to find another gear when the stocks are against him. Rohit hasn't been at his best in the World T20 so far and has failed in both the matches so far - but he will definitely be seeing Bangladesh as an opportunity to get back to his very best. When on song he can be a ferocious hitter of the ball and India will want him to give them a flying start in the crucial encounter.

Ashish Nehra: Ashish Nehra's comeback in the international cricket has been exceptional. He has been a revelation since he has returned to the national team and is enjoying every bit of it. Nehra is a good swing bowler and has been bowling consistently with the new ball apart from picking up regular wickets. Skipper MS Dhoni will once again be throwing the new ball to Nehra, with the hope of dismissing the top order cheaply. If Nehra manages to do that, half the job will be done keeping in mind that Indian spinners have been exceptional in the tournament so far. On a batting friendly Bengaluru wicket, he will have to be at his best.

Bangladesh:

Mahmudullah: Mahmudullah has been one of the best finishers for Bangladesh, providing the late flourish that adds momentum to the innings. He has been in superb form and it was largely because of him that helped his team post a respectable total on the board against Aussies. Mahmudullah was not out on 49 off 29 balls with the help of 7 fours and one six and played some stunning shot in his innings. Against India, much of the same is expected from him and he can be a crucial player in this contest.

Shakib al Hasan: Shakib’s all-round effort was not enough to take the Tigers to victory against Australia but he is one player that team can rely on. He is one of the match-winners Bangladesh have got and can be a worry for India with both bat and ball. With 1079 runs and 64 wickets, he is Bangladesh’s leading run-getter and wicket-taker in the World T20s. He has topped the ICC all-rounder rankings in Tests, ODIs and T20Is over the course of his career.

Mustafizur Rahman: The left-arm quick, coming back from injury, caused problems for the Australian batsmen in the previous encounter. However, his 2 for 30 was not enough to take the Aussies to win. Mustafizur's cutters are one of the most dangerous and can outfox even best of the batsmen. Mustafizur sometimes bowls his stock ball with the seam upright, and on some occasion with a scrambled seam so that makes him nearly impossible to play at times. He will be the man to watch out for the in the contest.