Any World Cup meeting between Bangladesh and India is bound to be a colourful affair and the excitement among the fans is intense for the opening game of the 2011 tournament at Mirpur
The two teams line up for the national anthems before play gets under way - will either of them be lifting the trophy after the final on 2 April?
Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar - with the small matter of 674 one-day caps between them - walk out to open for India after Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan wins the toss and chooses to bowl first
The Indian openers encounter few problems in a stand of 69 - but then relief arrives for Bangladesh when Sehwag refuses a call for a single from Tendulkar, who is run out for 28 by Shakib (far left)
After the shock of Tendulkar's dismissal, the onus is on Sehwag to lead India to a big total and he certainly looks in the mood as he cruises to fifty from just 45 deliveries on a bland pitch
Off-spinner Mahmudullah is the sixth bowler tried by Bangladesh and he strikes with his second delivery as Gautam Gambhir plays all round a straight one and departs for 39 after an 83-run partnership with Sehwag
Sehwag finds another reliable ally in Virat Kohli and proceeds smoothly to his century - his second in World Cup cricket - which he reaches off only 94 deliveries, with the help of a six and nine fours
There are some truly magnificent facepaint jobs around the ground - but there is little for Bangladesh fans to smile about out in the middle as India's total goes past 300 in the 42nd over
Sehwag reaches 175 and has the World Cup record score of 188 - by current India coach Gary Kirsten - in his sights when he wearily drags a ball from Shakib into his stumps
Sehwag's dismissal ends a partnership of 203 with impressive youngster Kohli, who has time to complete a century of his own - off only 83 balls - before India's innings comes to an end on 370-4
India call for the first decision referral in World Cup history after Sreesanth strikes Tamim Iqbal on the pad with a swinging, full length delivery - but he is out of luck as TV replays suggest it would have just missed leg stump
Facing such a huge target, there is no point in hanging about and Imrul Kayes is happy to take on India's new-ball attack as he races to 34 off 29 balls before playing on to first-change Munaf Patel
Having needed treatment after crashing into an advertising hoarding on the boundary edge, India's Yusuf Pathan suffers another painful moment when he fails to hang onto a difficult, swirling chance offered by Junaid Siddique
After a 73-run partnership with an unusually subdued Tamim, a smart stumping by India captain Mahendra Dhoni from a sharply turning delivery by Harbhajan Singh sends Siddique on his way for 37
Tamim reaches 70 with the help of one towering six over mid-wicket but he drills a catch straight to Yuvraj Singh as Bangladesh's task begins to look impossible
Bangladesh captain Shakib provides some entertainment for the home fans with a bright and breezy 55 but the game is well and truly up for his side when he falls in the 40th over, with the score on 234-4
Medium-pacer Munaf Patel (centre, no cap) is the pick of India's attack and he snaps up the wickets of Mahmudullah and Naeem Islam in the closing overs to finish his 10 overs with figures of 4-48
Bangladesh manage to avoid being bowled out but India finish as comfortable 87-run winners, with Virender Sehwag unsurprisingly collecting the Man-of-the-Match award
What are these?
E-mail this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these?