All five of Bangladesh’s opponents have been confirmed as they will begin their Super 12 round campaign with a match against the Netherlands on October 24 in Hobart. Little is expected from the Tigers given their recent international performances. Let’s take a look at Bangladesh’s records against the teams they will face in the T20 World Cup 2022 group stage.
Bangladesh’s head-to-head record and expected outcomes against its Super 12s opponents
The Bangladesh team will play their first game against the Dutch national side on Monday (October 24). After that, they will take on South Africa, Zimbabwe, India, and Pakistan, respectively. Bangladesh have a realistic chance of reaching the semi-finals if they can win at least three matches. But can the Tigers put up a fighting display given their recent performances in the T20 format? Let’s take a glance at Bangladesh’s T20I records over their opponents in the Super 12s.
Bangladesh vs Netherlands
Match details: October 24 | Venue: Bellerive Oval | Time: 10 a.m. (BST)
The Tigers will face a less-strong Dutch side in their Twenty20 World Cup opener, which could be a blessing in disguise to find momentum. This is the fixture that everyone expects Bangladesh to win. So, the team Tigers can consider themselves favourites for the contest but shouldn’t undermine their opposition. The Netherlands finished second in their group in the first round, winning two and losing to Sri Lanka.
H2H Record: Bangladesh have faced the Netherlands three times and hold a 2-1 head-to-head record. The Tigers won the last meeting between the two sides in the 2016 World T20.
Bangladesh vs South Africa
Match details: October 27 | Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground | Time: 9 a.m. (BST)
Bangladesh’s next fixture would be against a strong South Africa team at the famous Sydney Cricket Ground. This would be one of the toughest matches for the Tigers as the Proteas players are more equipped for the Australian conditions. Bangladesh’s team management has to chalk out an effective strategy which could potentially put the opposition under strain. However, South Africa are the overwhelming favourite for the contest.
H2H Record: Bangladesh have played seven T20Is against South Africa and have lost all of them. South Africa won by 6 wickets in the most recent meeting between the two sides in the 2021 ICC Twenty20 World Cup.
Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe
Match details: October 30 | Venue: The Gabba | Time: 9 a.m. (BST)
The Bangladesh team will target Zimbabwe in their third fixture of the tournament to stay in contention for a top two finish in the points table. Despite losing a bilateral series 2-1 against Zimbabwe last July, Bangladesh will remain the favourite in this fixture. Players on both sides know each other very well, and it will be a fascinating contest to watch.
H2H Record: Bangladesh have led the head-to-head battle against Zimbabwe with 12 wins in 19 meetings. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, has seven wins and won the last contest between the two sides in August by 10 runs.
Bangladesh vs India
Match details: November 2 | Venue: Adelaide Oval | Time: 2 p.m. (BST)
Beating India will be a hard task for Bangladesh, especially in the ICC events. Though Bangladesh had a famous victory over the Indian side in the 2007 World Cup, that was in the ODI format. India will be well aware that Bangladesh can pose a real threat and will not take the contest lightly. The Tigers will need a bit of luck to overcome India in this fixture.
H2H Record: Bangladesh have only one win over India in the T20 format, which came in a bilateral series in 2019. Overall, India have 10 wins against Bangladesh in 11 meetings.
Bangladesh vs Pakistan
Match details: November 6 | Venue: Adelaide Oval | Time: 10 a.m. (BST)
Bangladesh’s final Super 12 Round fixture would be against Pakistan in Adelaide. This fixture could potentially be a do-or-die contest for both the teams. Therefore, this could be a well-contested match to watch. Pakistan will start as favourites, but Bangladesh have a better chance of winning this match than the other two big opponents in the group.
H2H Record: Pakistan have 15 T20I victories in 17 matches against Bangladesh, including the most recent one in New Zealand. On the other hand, the Tigers have only had two triumphs over the Men in Green.
Bottom Line
Bangladesh have a realistic possibility of winning the matches against the Netherlands and Zimbabwe given the strength of their squads and their better records against them. The Tigers can defeat strong opponents like India, Pakistan, and South Africa, but luck has to be on their side in addition to their best efforts during these matches. The Bangladeshi team could advance to the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2022 if they win at least three games, which is not impossible.
Source: United News of Bangladesh