Thu Feb 20 01:22:59 UTC 2025: ## India Favourites, But Bangladesh Eyeing Upset in Champions Trophy Opener

**MUMBAI, INDIA** – India, fresh off a dominant white-ball series win against England, begin their ICC Men’s Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on Thursday. While India are considered strong favorites, having won the tournament twice before (2002 and 2013) and recently triumphed in the T20 World Cup, the absence of star bowler Jasprit Bumrah adds an element of uncertainty.

India will rely on a spin-heavy attack to counter Bangladesh’s own spin prowess. The spotlight will be on Arshdeep Singh, who is expected to fill Bumrah’s considerable void. The young pace sensation has been in excellent form and is receiving high praise from his coaches and teammates.

Bangladesh, on the other hand, enters the tournament with less recent success, having lost their most recent ODI series to the West Indies. However, they’ll be hoping to replicate their 2007 upset victory over India and will be looking to all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz for both crucial runs and wickets. The team also boasts a new pace-bowling star in Nahid Rana, who is eager to make an impact.

The match promises a fascinating clash of styles, with both teams possessing formidable spin attacks. Bangladesh will aim to exploit any weakness in India’s revamped bowling line-up, while India will look to capitalize on their recent winning streak and experience.

The match will be broadcast globally across various networks including JioStar (India), PTV and Ten Sports (Pakistan), CricLife Max (UAE & MENA), Sky Sports (UK), WillowTV (USA & Canada), Prime Video (Australia), and Sky Sport NZ (New Zealand), amongst others. The game can also be viewed on ICC.tv in select territories.

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