Dharamsala: Dawid Malan showcased his batting prowess by smashing an impressive 140 runs off 107 balls, giving England a dominant position in their World Cup 2023 clash against Bangladesh in Dharamsala on Tuesday. Malan, along with Joe Root, who contributed 82 runs from 68 balls, formed a formidable partnership of 151 runs for the second wicket. England’s strong start was initiated by Jonny Bairstow and Malan, who put together a solid opening partnership of 115 runs before Shakib al Hasan dismissed Bairstow for 52 runs off 59 balls.
However, Bangladesh made a late comeback with death-over specialist Shoriful Islam taking two wickets in consecutive deliveries.
Both teams made one change to their playing XI for the match. Bangladesh included Mahedi Hasan in place of Mahmudullah, while England replaced Moeen Ali with Reece Topley.
England, led by Jos Buttler, was determined to bounce back after a tough nine-wicket loss to New Zealand in their World Cup opener. Meanwhile, Bangladesh, led by Shakib Al Hasan, aimed to continue their winning streak after defeating Afghanistan by six wickets in their previous match.
While England boasts a strong reputation and a wealth of talent, making them the favorites, Bangladesh relies heavily on their skipper, Shakib. All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraj is another key player to watch, given his crucial contributions in both batting and bowling. Litton Das, though dismissed early in the previous match, is expected to lead Bangladesh’s batting lineup against a formidable English bowling attack.