Ruthless England outclass lackluster Bangladesh

Bangladesh lost comprehensively against host England by 106 runs in their 2019 World Cup match at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff Saturday.

Chasing a huge target of 387, the Tigers managed to score 280 losing all of their wickets in 48.5 overs.

Shakib al Hasan struck a brilliant hundred, making 121 from 119 deliveries, but his solo effort was barely enough as no other batsman managed to give him proper support in pursuit of that mammoth target.  

England made an early breakthrough as the express Jofra Archer cleaned up Soumya Sarkar (two) in the fourth over.  

Tamim Iqbal continued his struggle in this World Cup as he scored 19 off 29 deliveries before getting out in the last ball of the 12th over against Mark Wood.

Shakib then formed a 106-run partnership for the third wicket with Mushfiqur Rahim.

The asking rate was climbing ever so high but Bangladesh looked confident while these two were batting.

During the 29th over, Mushfiq (44) was caught at point as a leading edge from his bat was well caught by Jason Roy. 

The score was 169 for the loss of three wickets then.  

England struck again with Mohammad Mithun’s (nought) wicket in the next over as Adil Rashid got in on the act this time. 

Shakib continued his fluent batting at the other end and registered p his eighth ODI hundred from 95 deliveries, in the 37th over.

This is the third century by a Bangladeshi in the 50-over World Cup, and Shakib is the second Tigers cricketer to score a hundred in the mega ICC event after Mahmudullah hammered back-to-back tons in 2015.

Shakib’s innings ended in the third ball of the 40th over by a yorker from Ben Stokes.

Shakib’s knock was composed with a dozen boundaries and one six.

Eventually, Bangladesh were bowled out with seven balls to spare.

Archer and Stokes took three wickets each.

Earlier, Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe bin Mortaza won the toss and elected to bowl first. 

Bangladesh remained unchanged from their last match against New Zealand, while England made one change, bringing in Liam Plunkett in place of Moeen Ali.

Bangladesh started with spin as Shakib bowled the first over and conceded one run. 

Roy and Jonny Bairstow initially made a watchful start. 

After the first few overs, both the openers started to score freely and stitched together a brilliant 128-run stand.

Mashrafe initiated the first breakthrough as Bairstow got dismissed after scoring 51 with Mehedi Hasan Miraz taking a sharp catch at cover.

Roy though was batting with supreme confidence and was his usual aggressive self at the other end, and eventually posted his ninth ODI century from 92 balls.

The right-hander continued his dominance after his century and struck three consecutive sixes against Miraz in the 35th over.

Off the fourth delivery, he tried to smash another sixer only to manage a top edge that was gleefully caught by Mashrafe.

Roy’s brilliant innings ended on 153 off 121 balls with 14 fours and five sixes.

Jos Buttler came out to bat at No 4 and the right-hander played an explosive innings to continue England’s supremacy. 

Buttler scored 64 off 44 deliveries with two fours and four sixes.

Buttler got out in the 46th over but by then, the damage was already done as the score was 330. 

Bangladesh took two more wickets in the death overs but Plunkett’s quickfire 27 off just nine deliveries ensured England would post a commanding 386 on the board losing six wickets in their stipulated 50 overs.

Saifuddin and Miraz took two wickets apiece while Mashrafe and Mustafizur Rahman took one each.

Roy was adjudged man-of-the-match for his explosive innings.

MATCH 12

ENGLAND INNINGS            R    B

Roy c Mashrafe b Miraz        153    121

Bairstow c Miraz b Mashrafe         51    50

Root b Saifuddin            21    29

Buttler c Soumya b Saifuddin        64    44

Morgan c Soumya b Miraz        35    33

Stokes c Mashrafe b Mustafizur     6    7

Woakes not out            18    8

Plunkett not out            27    9

Extras (lb 3, nb 1, w 7)            11 

Total (50 Overs)            386/6 

Fall Of Wickets

1-128 (Bairstow), 2-205 (Root), 3-235 (Roy), 4-330 (Buttler), 5-340 (Morgan), 6-341 (Stokes)

Bowling

Shakib 10-0-71-0, Mashrafe 10-0-68-1, Saifuddin 9-0-78-2, Mustafizur 9-0-75-1, Miraz 10-0-67-2, Mosaddek 2-0-24-0

BANGLADESH INNINGS        R    B

Tamim c Morgan b Wood        19    29

Soumya b Archer            2    8

Shakib b Stokes            121    119

Mushfiq c Roy b Plunkett        44    50

Mithun c Bairstow b Rashid        0    2

Mahmudullah c Bairstow b Wood    28    41

Mosaddek c Archer b Stokes        26    16

Saifuddin b Stokes            5    8

Miraz c Bairstow b Archer        12    8

Mashrafe not out            4    9

Mustafizur c Bairstow b Archer    0    3

Extras (lb 9, w 10)            19 

Total (48.5 Overs)            280 all out 

Fall Of Wickets

1-8 (Soumya), 2-63 (Tamim), 3-169 (Mushfiq), 4-170 (Mithun), 5-219 (Shakib), 6-254 (Mosaddek), 7-261 (Mahmudullah), 8-264 (Saifuddin), 9-280 (Miraz), 10-280 (Mustafizur)

Bowling

Woakes 8-0-67-0, Archer 8.5-2-29-3, Plunkett 8-0-36-1, Wood 8-0-52-2, Rashid 10-0-64-1, Stokes 6-1-23-3

England won by 106 runs

MoM: Jason Roy