In a spectacular display of batting prowess, Dawid Malan lit up the ICC World Cup with a remarkable 140 runs. His partnership with Jonny Bairstow, which yielded 115 runs, set England on a blazing path after Bangladesh’s captain, Shakib Al Hasan, chose to field. Even after Bairstow’s departure at 52, Malan continued his onslaught, joining forces with Joe Root to amass 151 more runs. Root’s contribution of 82 runs not only bolstered the team’s score but also marked his ascendancy as England’s all-time leading run-scorer in the tournament, surpassing Graham Gooch.
Malan’s extraordinary innings featured five sixes and an astonishing 16 fours during his 107-ball blitz. However, his brilliant performance was cut short when spinner Mahedi Hasan (4-71) managed to clip his off-stump.
Shoriful Islam (3-75) made a significant impact, dismissing Jos Buttler earlier and then orchestrating the quick fall of Root and Liam Livingston off successive deliveries. Fortunately for England, Sam Curran thwarted his bid for a hat-trick. In the latter part of their innings, England lost wickets in rapid succession and couldn’t fully capitalize on their final 10 overs.
After a disappointing loss to New Zealand in their tournament opener, the defending champions made a strategic change, bringing in left-arm quick Reece Topley at the expense of spin-bowling all-rounder Moeen Ali. This tactical move aimed to bolster their bowling attack and bounce back in the competition.
Post Your Comments