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Big Picture
The ICL's newest team, the Dhaka Warriors, start their campaign against the former champions Chennai Superstars. Chennai's strength has been their consistency, and they are in good touch too. They finished second place in the domestic Twenty20 tournament which ended last month and have been the team to beat since the conception of the tournament last year. However, they will miss their captain Stuart Law, who is out of the first two games due to injury, and will be led by R Sathish, who starred in the first season with 383 runs. Hemang Badani, G Vignesh, Ian Harvey and Russel Arnold are the other key men.Dhaka's batting will hinge largely on Aftab Ahmed, Shahriar Nafees, the captain Habibul Bashar and Alok Kapali. The bowling will be led by Mosharraf Hossain, who picked two wickets in the recent warm-up game against Chandigarh Lions.
Watch out for
Ian Harvey: He was Chennai's top scorer with 472 runs in the first season, and as a bowler, his effective slower deliveries will be a handful.Hemang Badani: The stylish left-handed batsman has the benefit of international experience, so the Dhaka bowlers will have their task cut out for him.
Shahriar Nafees: Nafees boasts of a Test hundred against Australia and importantly, he is in form. In the warm-up game against Chandigarh, he hit a 54-ball 77with nine fours and two sixes.
Pitch & conditions
The outfield was a touch slow yesterday but the pitch played pretty true. It is bound to get better.
Quotes
"We know Chennai have some big names but we too have a right blend of youth and experience. We want to take home the trophy."Habibul Bashar, the Dhaka captain, hopes for a winning start. "We've been one of the most consistent sides in the ICL. No other side has been able to do as much as we have done in the last four tournaments. Two titles, a second place and a third place are no mean achievements."
Michael Bevan, Chennai's coach, tries to justify why his team are the favourites.
