Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh), Oct 10: Back with a vengeance after being humbled by Kiwis in their opening match, England on Tuesday humbled Bangladesh by a convincing 137 run margin in the 7th match of the ODI world Cup on Tuesday.
Chasing a 365 run target, Bangladesh could manage only 227/10 in 48.2 overs. Opener Litton Das (76) and keeper Mushfiqur Rahim (51) and Towhid Hridoy (39) could put up some fight.
Losing regular wickets, Bangladesh never really appeared to achieve the target, as England bowled with venom and fielded with lot of energy and purpose.
All English bowlers tested success. But left arm fast medium Reece Topley with 4/43 was the chief wrecker.
Earlier, put into bat, England scored 364/9 in 50 overs as their batters played with east at the HPCA Ground, here.
The highlight of the England's fireworks filled willow-show was opener Dawid Malan's 107-ball hurricane 140. He was rightly adjudged the 'Player of the Match'.
Malan hit 16 boundaries and five huge sixes in his scintillating knock. His wicket was claimed by Mahedi Hasan, who clean bowled him. Seasoned English batters Johny Bairstow and Joe Root too hit half centuries.
When Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan opted to field first, he perhaps felt his bowlers would take advantage of the morning bowling-friendly conditions at the HPCA Ground. But England had other ideas, as the score-board depicted later.
The English men, who lost to Kiwis by a huge 9-wicket margin in the World Cup inaugural match, as expected, were ruthless in their approach on Tuesday. The 2019 ODI World Champions appeared to be on a mission to rattle the opposition.
On the contrary, despite a convincing 5-wicket victory against Afghanistan in their campaign opener, Bangladesh struggled to match Jos Buttler's men.
Attacking Johny Bairstow in his recent role as England's white-ball game opener, proved once gain why he is such a fearsome cricketer in any format of the game.
Bairstow departed after hitting 8 boundaries in his 59-ball innings, scoring 52. He was clean bowled by Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan.
But Bairstow's opening partner Dawid Malan continued and hit a superb ton, ensuring a huge total for his team. With experienced Joe Root at the other end, the Malan-Root pair toyed with the Bangladesh attack on a batting-friendly paradise, here.
Root missed his chance to hit a century, being sent back by Shoriful Islam, caught by keeper Mushfiqur Rahim for 82 in 68 balls,
Later, trying to improvise, England skipper Jos Buttler returned to pavilion scoring 20 runs (10 balls), clean bowled by Shoriful Islam again.
Danger-man Liam Livingstone continued to disappoint in 2023 World Cup once again. The spin-bowling all-rounder was bowled by Islam for a duck.
Trying to change gears, pace bowling all-rounders duo Harry Brook (20) and Sam Curran (11) could not go on for long.
Among Bangladesh bowlers, Mahedi Hasan (4/71 in 8 overs) and Shoriful Islam (3/75 in 10 overs), were impressive.
