India win toss, opt to bowl first against Bangladesh


FE Team | Published: September 28, 2018 17:34:32 | Updated: September 28, 2018 18:32:07


Photo: BCCI

India won the toss and elected to field first against Bangladesh in the final match of Asia Cup 2018 at Dubai International Stadium on Friday.

After a magnificent victory over Pakistan, motivated Tigers are ready to roar again in the final match of the Asian tournament, report agencies.

One change has been made on the Bangladesh side as left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam Apu has been called up to the squad to replace left hand batsman Mominul Haque.

An injury-hit Bangladesh stunned Pakistan as they beat them by 37 runs in the virtual semifinal clash despite absence of their key players for injury on Thursday.

Bangladesh bowlers Mustafizur Rahaman, Rubel Hossain, and Mashrafe Mortaza are ready to lead from the front to test the Indian strong batting line -up.

The cutter master Mustafizur has a lot of tricks up his sleeve while Mashrafe's experience has also strengthened the teams' bowling line-up.

In batting, the team will bank heavily on the ever-dependable Mushfiqur Rahim, who has been the 'crisis man' along with the very stylish Mahmudullah Riyad.

Tigers will have to undergo tough challenge by an in-form Jasprit Bumrah.

However, India will remain overwhelming favourites to win the tournament for a record seventh time while Bangladesh will be hoping to be third-time lucky in the Asia Cup.

Southpaw opener Tamim Iqbal is already out with a fractured hand and Bangladesh team also won't have star all-rounder Shakib-Al-Hasan in the line-up owing to a finger injury.

A victory of India in the Asia Cup without their skipper and best batsman Virat Kohli will be a big statement going into next year's World Cup.

Bangladesh squad: Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah, Mashrafe Mortaza (C), Mehidy Hasan, Nazmul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman.

India squad: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma (C), Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah.

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