ICC World Cup 2019 | Bangladesh’s predicted XI for promising England encounter
Bangladesh have played above expectations in the ongoing World Cup and suffered a narrow loss against New Zealand in their last game but will hope to bounce back in their third match against England. The Bangla Tigers will face Eoin Morgan & Co. at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff today.
Openers
Soumya Sarkar: Sarkar has been consistent with the bat thus far at the ongoing World Cup but will need to up the ante against England. Boasting a strike rate of 107.2 at the top of the batting order, Sarkar will back himself to get his side to a strong start against a strong English bowling attack.
Tamim Iqbal: 30-year old Tamim Iqbal will be the key batsman at the top as Bangladesh look to build on their impressive showing at this year’s global showpiece. The veteran opener has a tally of 6676 runs from 195 ODIs and will look to add to that in today’s crucial encounter against the home team in Cardiff.
Middle-order
Shakib Al Hasan: The talented Shakib Al Hasan is probably one of the more in-form players at the ongoing World Cup in England. The left-handed batsman has scored 139 runs in two games and will be the one player to watch out for in the Bangladesh side on Saturday. Shakib also has three wickets to his name and is bowling at a healthy economy rate of under five in the middle overs.
Mushfiqur Rahim(wk): Rahim had a good game in the opening tie against South Africa but could only manage to score 19 from 35 deliveries in the next match against the Kiwis. The veteran wicket-keeper cum batsman will have to bat long into the innings if Bangladesh intend to cross the 300-run mark against England.
Mohammad Mithun: Mithun has been relatively quiet until now at the World Cup but will have to step up if needed when Bangladesh play the three lions today. Averaging 31.3, the 28-year old still needs to prove himself on the big stage and today’s match against England could just be the perfect setting for him to do so.
All-rounders
Mahmudullah: Mahmudullah played a brilliant knock in the opening win against the Proteas but could not replicate the same performance against New Zealand as Bangladesh fell to a narrow 14-run loss on Wednesday. He will look to bounce back against a tricky English pace attack spearheaded by the dangerous Jofra Archer.
Mosaddek Hossain: 23-year-old Hossain helped Bangladesh reach the 330-run mark against South Africa but could only score 11 against the Kiwis before being dismissed by Trent Boult. With an average of 31.71 in the lower batting order, he will be expected to play some big shots towards the end of the innings against Eoin Morgan & Co.
Mohammad Saifuddin: Saifuddin has played just 15 ODIs for Bangladesh and is yet to convince the fans of his merit with the national team. Considered to be a batting all-rounder, Saifuddin is a handy medium-pace option in the middle overs and also picked up two wickets in the loss against New Zealand on Wednesday.
Mehidy Hasan: Still just 21, Hasan has been in top form at the ongoing World Cup, having entered the tournament as a bowling all-rounder for the Bangla Tigers. Boasting an economy rate of 4.4 in the One-day format, Hasan will shoulder the responsibility of keeping the English batsmen quiet throughout today’s game in Cardiff.
Pacers
Mashrafe Mortaza(c): Mortaza has not really hit the right spot with the ball in this year’s World Cup but if the two matches proved anything it was that his skills as a captain are definitely unquestionable. The 35-year old is handy with the bat at times and will look to add to his tally of 265 wickets.
Mustafizur Rahman: The English batsmen will be well aware of the dangerous pace bowling of the Mustafizur heading into today’s game. It’s hard to believe that Rahman is still just 23 having already accumulated a wicket tally of 86 from 48 One-dayers. He will be the player who can help demolish England in their very own backyard in Wales.
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