India will take on Bangladesh in match number 16 of the Cricket World Cup 2023 on Thursday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium in Pune. The weather in Pune has worsened ahead of the all-important clash. Journalists from Pune made posts on X of drizzle in the same area of the city where the match is supposed to take place. The rain threat has returned in India’s match, for the first time in the World Cup. 

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The ground staff had covered the wole ground ahead of the India vs Bangladesh match as it began to rain. The ground staff will probably keep the pitch and the 30 yard circle covered the whole night, which may have an effect on the pitch tomorrow.

If it rains all night, then expect the pitch to have more moisture, making it a bowler-friendly wicket. The dryness of the wicket will go away, which means batting will become tougher for both the teams. If that is the case, one might see the return of R Ashwin into the playing 11 in place of Shardul Thakur. With Ashwin in there, India will have three genuine world-class spinners in the attack including Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. 

A bit of rain in Talegaon a day before the #INDvsBAN match at MCA stadium in Gahunje, Pune.#BANvIND #INDvBAN pic.twitter.com/0t3AEfwf7L
— Abdullah Neaz_ (@Abdullah__Neaz) October 18, 2023

Weather Update Pune: India vs Bangladesh 

The good news for India and Bangladesh fans is that there is no rain threat in Pune on October 19 (Thursday), which is the day of the match. The match starts at 2 pm IST and will probably be over by 10 pm IST. In the afternoon to evening and till midnight, the probablity of precipitation is 1 to 3 percent in Pune, as per Accuweather. 

There will not be any cloud cover too in Pune tomorrow. 

Pune pitch?

How will Pune pitch play during India vs Bangladesh? That remains a mystery. Traditionally, Pune has been a low and slow surface. Spinners also come into play, every now and then, on this pitch. If it rains overnight, that will have an effect on the pitch. Not to forget, India captain Rohit Sharma has not bowled in a cricket match for a long time but he practice his off-spin in the nets ahead of the World Cup match vs Bangladesh. 

India’s Probable XI vs Bangladesh

India will have to wait and watch to see what the surface is. If it is spin-friendly, expect Ashwin to return, otherwise Shardul Thakur will play. India may not want to make any further change in the playing 11 for the Bangladesh match. 

India Probable XI for Bangladesh: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur/R Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav