Bermuda’s cricketers take on the might of India at the Queen’s Park Oval today in a match which will bring to a grinding halt the World Cup campaign of one of the two sides.

Thrashed by Sri Lanka by 243 runs on their World Cup debut last Thursday, Bermuda will be heavy favourites to join the likes of Pakistan and Holland who have already been eliminated after two straight losses with still one game remaining.

But after a weekend in the Caribbean which has produced huge surprises, a tragic death and some off-the-field shenanigans, nobody’s taking anything for granted — least of all India, who suffered a humbling defeat from their under-rated neighbours Bangladesh here in Trinidad on Saturday.

That result means for a country where cricket is followed by millions and regarded as almost a religion, today’s game takes on enormous significance.

India’s arch rivals Pakistan suffered the worst of weekends, tipped out of the tournament by Ireland, fittingly on St. Patrick’s Day, and were then left to mourn the death of their coach, former England player Bob Woolmer, who was found unconscious in a Jamaica hotel room yesterday morning.

England, meanwhile, suspended Andrew Flintoff and stripped him of the vice-captaincy after a late-night drinking session while several other England players were disciplined for similar behaviour.

Flintoff, who took two wickets for three runs against Bermuda in a warm-up game in St. Vincent earlier this month, was reportedly found in the sea during the early hours of the morning after falling off a pedalo.

But today it’s the Queen’s Park Oval which will come under the magnifying glass as India not only have to win, but win big if they’re to keep alive their hopes of progressing to the tournament’s so-called ‘Super Eight’.

A crowd of several thousand more than that which watched Bermuda in their opening game is expected at the Oval with those of Indian descent accounting for a large percentage of Trinidad’s population.

Bermuda coach Gus Logie told a gathering of international media yesterday that all of the pressure would be on India while his players could hopefully enjoy the occasion and perhaps draw inspiration from the upsets caused by other underdogs such as Bangladesh and Ireland on Saturday.

“I think it should give all of the players confidence going into their next games, and I think it’s something that can inspire individuals and I’m looking forward to my guys being inspired by the performances of both Bangladesh and certainly Ireland,” said Logie.

“Individual players in the team have to dig deep, they saw the Bangladesh game themselves and I’m certain they are going to be motivated. Each individual has to really and truly motivate themselves. You’re playing for your country, it’s important you go out there and give your best.” In the crowd again will be Premier Ewart Brown as well as Sports Minister Randy Horton, with several hundred Bermuda spectators, including friends and family of the players, taking up a large part of the Stollemeyer stand where they cheered raucosly during the defeat to Sri Lanka.

Should, as expected, Bermuda suffer another loss they will play their final World Cup match against Bangladesh next Sunday.

But if the result miraculously goes the other way, it would be considered the biggest upset in World Cup history, dump India out of the tournament . . . and leave Logie’s men still with a chance of qualifying for the final stages.