Tigers sniff last eight

The Pool A point table is certain to give the Bangladesh fans a delightful sight. New Zealand and Australia, the two hosts of the World Cup 2015, lead the table, which is predictable. Bangladesh are next, not their fellow Pool A powerhouses Sri Lanka or England.

That the Tigers' tie with the Aussies was washed out can be seen as a blessing in disguise as it has cut the odd down in Bangladesh's favour.

The previous equation was that Bangladesh needed to beat two stronger teams besides winning against Afghanistan and Scotland to qualify for the last eight.

As the Tigers got one precious point from the match against the Aussies, one of the strongest teams of the group, beating one of Sri Lanka or England and win over Scotland might take them to the last eight.

The Tigers are eyeing the cornered England team as the one to beat, backed by their win over the same opponents in the last World Cup.

Reaching the second round in the 2007 World Cup is the best achievement for the Tigers so far. However, the point table did not change so drastically after two matches that time.  After their historic victory over India in the very first match, the Tigers lost to Sri Lanka by a big margin.

Coincidentally, rain intervened in the match against Sri Lanka as well, but the odds went in Sri Lanka's favour that time thanks to the Duckworth Lewis Method.

Even with this unexpected stroke of luck, Mashrafe and boys still have some difficult equations to add up. Their next match is against Sri Lanka, who has been struggling to perform in similar conditions for a few months.

If the Tigers can cash in on the 1996 champions' lack of form, the road to last eight would become easier. Even if they lose with a good fight, they will be in a good position in the point table based on run rate.

However, Bangladesh have to win against Scotland on 5 March.

Next comes England on 9 March, who at this moment is at the bottom of the table. Based on points, run rate and confidence, Bangladesh are now in a more favourable position than England.

Importance of Sri Lanka- England match

If Sri Lanka win against England on 1 March, Bangladesh will reach the final eight provided they beat the English team as well.

Even if England win against Sri Lanka, there is still hope for Bangladesh. England can get six points from beating Sri Lanka, Scotland and Afghanistan. With the point against Australia today, Bangladesh will have seven points with their wins over Afghanistan, Scotland and England.

The equation is simple - beat England. Beat them while they're down.