Iqbal confident Bangladesh of beating India
20-year-old Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal says that Twenty20 is an unpredictable format and that any team can beat the other team on its day.
He also says that if his team sticks to their plans they can beat defending champions India when the two teams clash in the opening encounter tomorrow.
One of Bangladesh’s biggest moments of glory came when it were instrumental in knocking out India from the 2007 (one day international) World Cup in West Indies.
Bangladesh met India in the opening encounter and, much to everyone’s surprise, defeated the subcontinent neighbours, courtesy some resilient batting by a young opener, Tamim Iqbal.
India then needed to win its next two matches to make it to the second round. While the sub-continent team managed to thrash Bermuda, it lost to Sri Lanka which led to the unceremonious exit from the World Cup.
However, since then much has changed with the Indian team while Bangladesh has not managed to spring up too many surprises.
The Indian team went on to win the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa two years ago. It begins the ICC World Twenty20 2009 as one of the top contenders to defend its trophy.
However, Bangladeshi opener Tamim Iqbal, who has cemented his place in the side since the 2007 World Cup, feels that fear for the opposition, is exactly what one should not have in the shortest format of the game.
"You shouldn't fear anyone in international cricket… If you fear an international team you cannot play this game," said the young opener.
"Twenty20 is a very short format of the game and whoever plays best on the day will win it.”
He believes that if every player fulfills his role and plays to his potential then his team can catch Indian off-guard again tomorrow.
"If we can play well and do what our plans demand, we can beat India.”
"If Ash (captain Mohammad Ashraful) plays his game; if Shakib (Al Hasan) plays his game; if I play my game ... it is possible to beat them. We all have a duty to play our part."
He even went so far as to say that, "If Netherlands play great cricket they can beat Australia in this short format of the game."
