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Ganguly: Bangladesh will be stronger than Proteas

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Sourav Ganguly (Getty Images)
Sourav Ganguly (Getty Images)

Cape Town - Former India captain Sourav Ganguly feels Bangladesh will put up a better fight against India in the Champions Trophy semi-final than South Africa did when they were dumped out of the tournament.

The Proteas - who came into the event as the top-ranked side in ODI cricket - wilted under pressure in their must-win clash on Sunday and were bundled out for 191, which included three horrendous run-outs in their innings, and went on to lose by eight wickets.

India will now play fellow Asian side Bangladesh in a last-four clash at Edgbaston on Thursday after the Tigers, surprisingly, came second - ahead of Australia and New Zealand - behind hosts England in group A.

The now 44-year-old Ganguly, who skippered India to the Champions Trophy title in 2002, says the Tigers have a good batting line-up and play well against spin but still feels his countrymen will be to strong for the Asian compatriots.

A left-handed batsman who scored more than 15 000 runs in ODIs, Ganguly told India Today: "South Africa were mentally weak when playing India.

"It was a remarkable performance by India. In terms of quality, South Africa were a better team in these conditions but their performance were very poor.

"On paper, Bangladesh are a weaker team than South Africa but will probably pull up a better fight because they have a good batting lineup, they play spin well and their bowlers have done well.

"But I am not too sure if they are strong enough to beat this rampaging Indian team."

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