Kolkata, Oct 27: Seeking a revival of fortunes, Bangladesh and Netherlands will have one last chance to keep their slender semifinals hopes alive when they clash with each other as the World Cup finally arrives at the hallowed Eden Gardens here on Saturday.
As the sports-crazy city awakens from its 10-day Durga Puja revelry, the World Cup finally arrives in Kolkata, 23 days and 27 matches into the global showpiece.
The familiar buzz and the World Cup excitement is, however, missing from the venue that is all decked-up for its leg of five matches which include the marquee India-South Africa clash and the second semifinal.
Both teams have one win from four outings.
Call it their misfortune or lack of a proper planning, Bangladesh’s campaign has fallen miserably after they began on a positive note with a comprehensive win over Afghanistan.
Bangladesh had to face three heavyweights in defending champions England, last edition’s runners-up New Zealand and hosts India and the ‘Bangla Tigers’ failed to spring any magic to see their World Cup campaign almost done and dusted.They were next drawn against South Africa, who were not pre-tournament favourites but the way the Proteas have taken the tournament by storm the Shakib Al Hasan-led side did not have any Plan B for a course-correction. (PTI)
