| Scores | Upcoming | Results |
Mirpur: India and Bangladesh clash in the opening game of the World Cup on today as action gets underway at the start of a six-week sporting marathon predicted to be the most open for years.
A total of 14 teams will battle for the 10th World Cup, jointly hosted by India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, including all the major Test nations along with ICC associates teams the Netherlands, Ireland, Kenya and Canada.
India, highly fancied to lift their second trophy, go into the day-night match at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka against their co-hosts as strong favourites amid a tight security lockdown in the Bangladeshi capital.
The 1983 World Cup winners have an impressive 20-2 winning record against their South Asian neighbours but suffered a humiliating loss in the 2007 tournament that contributed to their first round exit.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni insists his team, ranked top in Tests and second in one-day cricket, will go into the match without the baggage of that five-wicket loss in the Caribbean.
The skipper said that the defeat four years ago had not even crossed his mind in the past few years.
"Frankly, I have never thought about it, but we obviously don't want a repeat," said Dhoni, who was part of the 2007 squad led by Rahul Dravid and coached by Australian Greg Chappell.
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan brushed aside fears about taking on power-packed India, saying his side were confident of doing well.
"Our bowlers are in good form, the batsmen have been doing their job and our fielding has improved a lot," Shakib said.
"This tournament is not only about playing India. We have six league matches to play and we have to perform in all of them. If we get our basics right, we will do well."
Security is tight with authorities desperate to avoid any repeat of the deadly 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team that still haunts the sport.
Around 20,000 members of Bangladesh's elite paramilitary force the Rapid Action Battalion and regular officers have been deployed in Dhaka for the first match, police spokesman M. Sohail said.
The Mumbai Cricket Association has been ordered to meet fire regulations by the time the first group game is held at the ground on March 13.
Wankhede is the second World Cup venue in India not to have come up to scratch.
Kolkata's Eden Gardens was stripped of the match between the hosts and England on February 27 after the iconic arena was deemed not fit to host the game.
That match was shifted to Bangalore although the other three matches scheduled for Eden Gardens look set to go ahead.
On the field, top-ranked Australia are seeking their fourth consecutive World Cup but have lost many of their stellar names and face a stiff challenge from the likes of India, Sri Lanka, South Africa and England.
