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Series win in Tigers' sights

Cyclone Maha threat looms over today's second T20I

Abdullah Al Mehdi from Rajkot
A vibrant Bangladesh team have the chance to continue their momentum and clinch their first ever T20I series win over India when they take on the hosts in the second T20I at Rajkot's Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium today even as the threat of cyclone 'Maha' looms on the horizon. The Tigers find themselves in a commanding position having taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with a seven-wicket victory in the first T201 at smoggy Delhi.
Tourists have been told to evacuate Porbandar - roughly 200 kilometres from the stadium — where the cyclone is likely to cross. There was good news too as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) tweeted yesterday afternoon that Maha is set to weaken and skirt the Saurashtra coast, which includes Rajkot, as a deep depression around noon today. The storm actually hit Rajkot in the evening yesterday, and the earlier than forecast impact could mean that the rains will cease earlier today, improving the possibility of the match starting at the scheduled start time of 7:30pm (Bangladesh time). Even if there is a delay, Saurashtra Cricket Association Secretary Himanshu Shah said that the good drainage at the ground would allow the match to be started around an hour after the rain stops.
Despite the gloom there were not many dark clouds hovering in captain Mahmudullah Riyad's mind,
who insisted that his team will stick to the same philosophy.
"From the beginning there wasn't any pressure on us. As we mentioned, we had nothing to lose when we first came here. I think it's more about gaining and tomorrow is another opportunity to gain another victory for Bangladesh. We will play positive and energetic cricket," Mahmudullah said yesterday when asked if his team were feeling any kind of pressure.
Bangladesh have had some disappointing close defeats to India in the past and went into this series without ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan — banned by the ICC for two years (one of those suspended) after failing to report corrupt approaches - and star opener Tamim Iqbal. Seniors such as Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim have managed to spur the side to do the unexpected to overcome the upheaval of the past weeks.
"If you consider whatever is going on in recent times in Bangladesh
cricket, I think a series win will be a big boost. Tomorrow we have to play good cricket against India as they are a very good side on their home soil and all across the world. We have to be at our best from the very first ball," Riyad reiterated.
Bangladesh will likely field the same lineup they played in Delhi unless there are some changes in the weather or the pitch on offer, which looked like a solid batting track. Meanwhile India skipper Rohit Sharma talked of not repeating the mistakes of the first game.
"It is important to focus on the mistakes we made and make sure those are not repeated. That is the sign of a good team, when you don't repeat mistakes," the India stand-in skipper said yesterday.
With India needing a win to keep the series alive and the Tigers needing a victory to clinch what will be a historic achievement, the Rajkot T20I, in the eye of the cyclone, could be a feisty encounter between the Asian rivals.