Tigers go down fighting

Demonstrate spirited chase after Sehwag, Kohli flay bowling attack

Bangladesh gave a good fight before going down to favourites India by 87 runs in the opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at the Sher-e- Bangla National Stadium on Saturday.

Bangladesh were restricted to 283 for 9 while chasing an improbable target of 371.

Earlier, ruthless India left the boisterous partisan crowd shell-shocked as they strode on sublime Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli centuries to set a daunting target for Bangladesh. With an aspiration to watch the reverberation of 2007 World Cup, on and off the stadium, exhilarating crowd roared like no one has seen before. In no time, Sehwag thwarted the party smashing a powerful drives to cover-point boundary off Shafiul Islam Suhas in the first ball of the 2011 World Cup.

To bowl first choose by Tighers.

Bangladesh have won the crucial toss and captain Shakib Al Hasan says they will bowl first against India in the World Cup opener.

Winning the toss at the Mirpur National Cricket Stadium on Saturday, Shakib said his team was confident ahead of the big game and that he will be pleased to chase a target below 260. Veteran batsman Mohammad Ashraful has been left out of the match.
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said he would have bowled first too had he won the toss because he believed dew could be a big factor.

Of 42 matches played in Mirpur, 27 have been won by the team batting second and only 15 by the team batting first. In day-night games, only three out of 16 matches have been won by teams batting first.