Bangladesh and India have big hopes for the upcoming Cricket World Cup, but both sides are struggling with some absent players through injuries. For example, Bangladesh has been seriously hit by injuries to a few important players, including their top pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman. This 23-year old player is one of the key players for Bangladesh in the recent years, but unfortunately, he will miss the big competition after spraining his ankle while warming up for a match in the Dhaka Premier League. You can Read more about this story here.
Besides Rahman, the pace bowler Rubel Hossain and batsman Mahmudullah Riyad are also both out of the squad. The latest information is that Rahman is recovering well, and he might be back just in time before the start of Cricket World Cup on May 30th. Mahmudullah`s shoulder injury prevented him from practicing recently while his team toured New Zealand but is slowly getting back to practices. Wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim did not play in a couple of Tests in New Zealand but is back to individual training and Tamim Iqbal is expected back in the squad in the next few days.
Despite all Bangladesh struggles in the recent few weeks, there is still time until the grand opening of the Cricket World Cup. Many players are improving and perfecting their skills, while the absent players are recovering well. That is good news for Bangladesh, who have big expectations from the upcoming big event. The first serious test for Bangladesh in front of the Cricket World Cup will be the tri-nation one-day international tournament in Ireland beginning from May 5, which will pit them against Ireland and the West Indies.
Finally, the deadline for submitting the Cricket World Cup squads is April 23rd, but national teams can be changed up until May 23rd, which is one week before the official start of the Cricket World Cup.
India and Their Preparations for the Cricket World Cup
When it comes to India, they have named their squad for the Cricket World Cup already. The squad is filled with experienced players that should do pretty well on the tournament. Dinesh Karthik was chosen on the second wicketkeeper’s slot in favor of the rising star Rishabh Pant, who will have to wait for his chance for some other time. Vijay Shankar will likely be the number one option for the fourth batsman, which is a position that India struggles with in the recent years. Karthik showed below-average performances in his recent matches for India, but the India selectors have valued his overall performance under pressure in important games over the years. He has been part of India national team for the Cricket World Cup in 2007, but missed the World Cups in 2011 and 2015.
Regarding other players, experienced captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni remains first option wicketkeeper, while the all-rounder Shankar has also been selected for the upcoming tournament. In the fast bowling department – Bhuvneshwar Kumar will likely be a back-up pacer to Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah in the big games.
India also have big expectations from the upcoming Cricket World Cup due to their devotion and great players. They have been ranked second right behind England in one-day games and previously they have reached the semifinals of the Cricket World Cup in 2015, where they got eliminated by Australia.
What Can We Expect in the Upcoming Weeks?
This was some initial information for Bangladesh and India ahead of the Cricket World Cup, but some changes are possible before the deadline. All participants at the tournament are trying to pick their best formations and players to join the squads, but sometimes that is hard due to unpredictable things. Important thing is that we should expect to see all best players at the tournament, so the Cricket World Cup 2019 promises to be one of the most exciting in the recent years. Stay tuned for the latest information regarding the squads and prepare yourself for an exciting Cricket World Cup coming up. Which team will ultimately win it is still open and unpredictable, but in any case we will certainly enjoy in the games in England and Wales.
