Young Tigers brace for India, rain in WC opener

Bangladesh will begin their ICC Under-19 World Cup campaign today against India in what promises to be a fiery contest at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe with rain threat looming large. 

In recent times, the cricketing rivalry between Bangladesh and India has extended beyond the boundary ropes, adding further spice to an already intense rivalry.

The Young Tigers won their maiden and thus far only U-19 World Cup title in 2020 after beating India in the final. Both teams hurled sledges at their opponents in that match and that trend has continued in their matches since.

Many of Bangladesh’s current U-19 crop were part of the intense U-19 Asia Cup final against India in 2024, which the Young Tigers won. Bangladesh captain Azizul Hakim Tamim, who had also led the team in that game, was ready for another intense bout against the familiar foes.

“When you play against big teams, there will be sledging on the field,” Tamim had told The Daily Star before the team left for the tournament.

“We have to stay mentally and physically strong. If we do that, we can play much better cricket… We need to win not just with our heads, but also with our body language,” he added. 

The ongoing tournament has been severely affected by rain. From warm-up games to official fixtures, most matches so far have been reduced to shortened contests.

Bangladesh’s two warm-up matches against Pakistan and Scotland finished without a result, while India managed to secure a DLS-method win over the USA in a rain-affected tournament opener in Bulawayo on Thursday.

“We just came to practice; there was a lot of rain a little while ago, but the rain has stopped now,” selector Ehsanul Hoque told The Daily Star on Friday. “They’ve removed the covers from the practice nets, so we’re hoping to get some net sessions in. There’s rain forecast again tomorrow [Saturday].”

“We couldn’t play the full duration, not even 50 overs [in the warm-up games]. It seems the whole tournament will probably be affected by rain,” he said.

Despite the uncontrollable conditions, the selector remains optimistic about the team’s readiness. “Everyone is doing really well. Hopefully, they will stay fit and we will start well.”

Ahead of the tournament, skipper Tamim had stressed the importance of a strong start.

“Every match is important because the World Cup eventually feels like a knockout tournament,” he said. “The first match is definitely crucial. If you win, you stay ahead on the points table.”

Bangladesh are grouped alongside five-time champions India, New Zealand, and the USA in Group A.

After facing India, Bangladesh will take on New Zealand on January 20 in Bulawayo before meeting the USA on January 23 in Harare.

The tournament will then move into the Super Six stage, where the top three teams from each of the four groups will be divided into two groups of six teams. The knockout phase will feature two semifinals and a final, scheduled for February 6 in Harare.