England Cricket World Cup defence got off to a nightmare start as they were thrashed by New Zealand in their opening match. Now, they face a steep incline in performance as they take on Bangladesh in the foothills of the Himalayas.
England’s performance against New Zealand was a major disappointment. They stuttered to 282-9 after being put in to bat, and then failed to defend their total as New Zealand chased it down with nine wickets in hand.
There were a number of concerns for England in that match. Their top order failed to fire, with none of the top six batsmen passing fifty. Their bowling was also below par, with their bowlers struggling to take wickets on a flat pitch.
England now need to show a significant improvement if they want to get their World Cup campaign back on track. They face a Bangladesh side who are ranked seventh in the world, but who are capable of beating any team on their day.
England need to find their form early
England cannot afford to start their match against Bangladesh slowly. They need to find their form early and put down a marker.
If England can get off to a good start with the bat, it will put pressure on Bangladesh from the outset. And if they can then take some early wickets with the ball, they will be well on their way to victory.
England’s top order needs to fire
One of England’s biggest concerns against New Zealand was the failure of their top order to fire. None of the top six batsmen passed fifty, and England were struggling at 120-4 at one stage.
England need their top order to fire against Bangladesh. If they can get off to a good start, it will give the rest of the team a platform to build on.
England’s bowlers need to take wickets
England’s bowlers also struggled against New Zealand. They took just four wickets, and they were unable to put any pressure on the New Zealand batsmen.
England need to be more aggressive with their bowling against Bangladesh. They need to take wickets early, and they need to keep the pressure on the Bangladesh batsmen throughout the innings.
Bangladesh will be a tough opponent
Don’t undervalue Bangladesh. They are the seventh-best squad in the world, and they have several risky players on their roster.
Bangladesh’s batting lineup is led by Shakib Al Hasan, who is one of the best all-rounders in the world. Mahmudullah Riyad, Tamim Iqbal, and Mushfiqur Rahim, all skilled and dangerous batsmen, stand by his side.
Bangladesh’s bowling attack is led by Mustafizur Rahman, who is one of the best bowlers in the world. He is supported by Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who are all capable of taking wickets.
England need to be at their best
England need to be at their best if they want to beat Bangladesh. They need to fire with the bat, bowl aggressively, and field well.
England have the talent to beat Bangladesh, but they need to show it on the field. If they can do that, they will be well on their way to getting their World Cup campaign back on track.
Conclusion:
England’s Cricket World Cup defence is on the line as they face Bangladesh in the foothills of the Himalayas. England need to show a significant improvement on their performance against New Zealand if they want to get their campaign back on track.
England need to find their form early, and their top order needs to fire. Their bowlers also need to be more aggressive and take wickets.
Bangladesh will be a tough opponent, but England have the talent to beat them. If they can be at their best, they will be well on their way to victory.
Additional tips for England:
- Adapt to the conditions. The pitch in Dharamshala is known for being difficult to bat on, so England will need to adapt their batting accordingly.
- Use the short ball. Bangladesh’s batsmen are not always comfortable against the short ball, so England should use it to their advantage.
- Be patient. Bangladesh are a very patient team, and they will try to wear England down. England need to be patient and not give away their wickets easily.