Following a thrashing of Pakistan in Ahemdabad, the cheerful Indian squad will face a struggling Bangladesh in Pune in an attempt to solidify their semifinal prospects in the 2023 World Cup.
The Men in Blue have been running like a well-oiled machine, with no glitches in either the bowling or batting departments.
They have been tested in all categories, having been reduced to 2/3 against Australia and fighting to keep Pakistan at 155/2. However, India rebounded successfully in both occasions, sending a warning signal to the remainder of the tournament’s teams.
Bangladesh is banking on their bowlers to deliver exceptional performances in order to control India’s strong batting lineup, which includes renowned players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
India and Bangladesh have clashed four times in the ODI World Cups, with India emerging victorious on three occasions. However, Bangladesh achieved their lone triumph over India during the 2007 ODI World Cup, defeating them by five wickets and ultimately eliminating them from the tournament.
In this article, we’ll examine the top Men in Blue wicket-takers in World Cup matches against Bangladesh.
5. Zaheer Khan, 3 wickets
Zaheer Khan, one of the biggest gifts to Indian cricket and one of the best proponents of swing bowling upfront, is ranked fifth on the list with three wickets.
Zaheer played two World Cup matches against Bangladesh, averaging 32.21 and averaging 5.04 runs per game.
4. Hardik Pandya, 3 wickets
Hardik Pandya was vital in India’s 2019 World Cup semi-final campaign, which they ultimately lost to New Zealand.
He was looking proficient in his sole World Cup encounter against Bangladesh, when he picked up vital wickets from Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, and Shakib Al Hasan, who appeared poised to provide further agony for Indian supporters.
3. Jasprit Bumrah, 4 wickets
There is no list of Indian bowlers’ accomplishments that does not include Jasprit Bumrah, and this demonstrates his skill set and execution.
Bumrah, like Hardik, has only played one World Cup match against Bangladesh, but he has taken four key wickets with an economy of 5.50 and an average of 27.5.
Bumrah closed up the tail to help his team win a tense fight in which Bangladesh led for the entire of the game.
4. Munaf Patel, 4 wickets
Munaf Patel was formerly considered a carbon copy of Glenn McGrath, who could bowl mean lines at 145+ kmph all the time. He represented India in two World Cups and faced Bangladesh on both occasions.
While the 2007 edition was a nightmare for everyone, Munaf not only helped with the ball, taking two key wickets, but also batted well.
Bangladesh would have won the match much sooner if it hadn’t been for Munaf’s excellent bowling.
In 2011, he also gave runs at an economy of 4.8 while taking only two wickets, finishing with four wickets at an economy of 4.79 and an average of 23.72.
5. Umesh Yadav, 4 wickets
Umesh Yadav, along with Rohit Sharma, stood in the way of Bangladesh reaching their first World Cup semi-finals in 2015, when he was simply too hot for the Bengal Tigers.
Umesh, who was at the pinnacle of his powers at the time, rewarded his captain’s faith by taking four wickets against Bangladesh in the quarterfinals, his lone match against the side.
He was not only economical (3.34), but he also averaged 7.75 against the Asian side.