Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 10 (ANI): Dawid Malan’s blitz of 140 and Joe Root’s 80 followed by Reece Topley’s four-wicket haul powered England to 137 runs triumph against Bangladesh in a match of ongoing ICC World Cup here at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Tuesday.
Reece Topley starred with the new ball as he picked three crucial Bangladesh wickets in the first Powerplay. Tanzid Hasan was the first to go then the left-arm pacer picked Najmul Hossain Shanto off the very next ball, who gifted a catch to the Point fielder.
Topley’s best came in the sixth over as he cleaned up Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan for merely one to derail the chase.
Chris Woakes bagged the wicket of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Bangladesh went four wickets down by the ninth over. Litton Das was the only Bangladesh batter to get into a good rhythm and played some beautiful shots to push the Bangladesh scoring rate up. He brought up his 38-ball half-century in the 11th over.
However, Bangladesh batters failed to rescue their team and bundled out for 227 in 48.2 overs.
Earlier, riding on opener Dawid Malan’s stunning maiden World Cup century, England set a huge target of 365 runs. Joe Root played a supportive knock of 82 off 68 balls while Jonny Bairstow scored 52 off 59 balls.
Put to bat, England’s openers Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan were batting aggressively hitting Bangladesh bowlers in every over. England quickly reached the 50-run mark in 8 overs without losing any wickets.
Malan reached his first World Cup fifty in just 39 balls in the 14th over. Following his partner, Bairstow also brought his half-century in his 100th ODI match.
England rushed to the 100-run mark in the 16th over with 10 wickets in hand. Bangladesh got their first breakthrough in the 18th over when Shakib Al Hasan bowled Bairstow at 52.
Unaffected by the dismissal, Malan continued to play his aggressive play. He clinched his hundred in just 91 balls in the 32nd over. After achieving his personal milestone, Malan started attacking Bangladesh bowlers. In the 33rd over, he collected 22 runs in Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s bowling.
Joe Root also brought his fifty off 44 balls in style by hitting Shoriful Islam for a boundary. Malan’s brilliant knocks of 140 off 107 came to an end in the 38th over after Mahedi Hasan bowled him.
Root also went back to the pavilion after scoring 20 off 10 balls. Bangladesh made a comeback in the game in the last over they picked up a few quick wickets. Well-settled Root cleared up by Shoriful Islam at 82. And in the next over, Liam Livingstone dismissed on a golden duck.
Mahedi Hasan picked up the wickets of Adil Rashid in the penultimate over while Taskin Ahmed dismissed Chris Woakes in the last over as England gave a target of 364.
Brief score: England 364/9 (Dawid Malan 140, Joe Root 82, Mahedi Hasan 4-71) vs Bangladesh 227 (Litton Das 76; Mushfiqur Rahim 51). (ANI)
