India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik yesterday said Bangladesh are always a tricky opposition and that his team would bring high intensity to the Twenty20 tri-series final between the two sides today.
Skipper Rohit Sharma’s team was the first to book its place in the final after winning three of its four games at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium.
India hold a psychological edge going into the tournament decider, with a 7-0 record in T20s against lowly-ranked Bangladesh.
But Karthik insisted India would not take Bangladesh lightly after the Shakib Al Hasan-led team stunned Sri Lanka, beating the hosts by two wickets on Friday to reach the final.
“In sub-continent conditions, (Bangladesh) are a very good team,” Karthik told reporters.
“When we play Bangladesh, if we win, it’s like ‘Ok, you’ve won against Bangladesh’, but if we lose, it’s like: ‘Dude, you’ve lost to Bangladesh. What are you doing?’”
India went into the tournament without top guns Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and lost their opening match to Sri Lanka, but soon bounced back to win three straight games.
Karthik, a middle-order batsman who is mostly a second-choice wicketkeeper behind Dhoni, said the team has not lost focus in the absence of big names.
“The first thing (Sharma)... said was that although we have a few of our other players missing, we’re looking to play exactly the sort of cricket that we’ve played in the past one year. We’re looking to win every match,” Karthik said.
India are third in the world T20 rankings, with Pakistan at the top, while Bangladesh are 10th below minnows Afghanistan.Meanwhile, Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan said his side has put the ill-tempered encounter with Sri Lanka behind them and are fully focussed on the tri-series final against India
“The two cricket boards have (had) good relations for the last 10-15 years. Players have great relations too... We must move forward from this,” Shakib told reporters.
Bangladesh, 10th in the world T20 rankings — below Afghanistan — have never beaten India in the shortest format of the sport.
 “If you think about pressure, it is pressure. If you don’t think about pressure, it is not pressure,” said the star allrounder, who returned to lead Bangladesh in the last round-robin game after most of the tri-series due to injury.
“I am sure everyone is relaxed, and if we can be like this until tomorrow’s match, it will be good for us.”
Bangladesh have never won a T20 tournament since they started playing the format in 2006, but Shakib said he is confident his side will go into the final with a positive mindset.
“If we think it is a big final against India, then it is pressure. Rather, let’s think about a bat v ball contest,” he said with a smile.