Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-The three-match ODI series between Bangladesh and India which is set to begin on Thursday in Mirpur of Bangladesh is really important for the hosts.
Though, rain threat is looming large over the ODIs, Bangladesh need to win at least one of the three games to remain in the top eight in the ODI rankings so that the Tigers could qualify for the Champions Trophy.
After the gain, the hosts will have to wait for the outcome of the upcoming series against South Africa and the Pakistan-Sri Lanka ODIs to change things again.
The first ODI is scheduled to begin at 3:00pm today at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
The rest two ODIs will be played on June 21 and 24 at the same venue.
Earlier on June 14, the lone Test match between Bangladesh and India came to a conclusion with a draw after the each and every day play of the five-day game was affected by rain in Fatullah.
The situation that Bangladesh and India faced during the lone Test is likely to repeat in the three ODIs game as latest weather report forecasts heavy rain in Dhaka.
The forecast is not good till June 24 when the last match is to be played.
Experts said they might see shortened games instead of full 50-over contests due to impending rain.
Sources said, for the first time in the country's history, a Test match was played in the month of June which is rainy season.
All three ODIs however have reserve days considering monsoon season.
TEAMS NEWS
Bangladesh will have to choose between Mominul Haque, Rony Talukdar and Litton Das to fill the injured Mahmudullah's place but there is still doubt whether that will be at No.3, or in the opening slot. It would be surprising to see the Tamim Iqbal-Soumya Sarkar combination being dismantled.
Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Mominul Haque/Litton Das/Rony Talukdar, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim, 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Sabbir Rahman, 7 Nasir Hossain, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza, 9 Arafat Sunny, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Taskin Ahmed
India have brought a full-strength squad and it is likely they would field a full-strength XI as well.
The only change to the line-up in the World Cup semi-final could be Bhuvneshwar Kumar replacing Mohammed Shami, who has a knee injury.
India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ajinkya Rahane, 5 Suresh Raina 6 MS Dhoni (capt &wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Mohit Sharma
BBN/SS/ANS