Knight takes England to victory over a resilient Bangladesh who threatened to makes things complicated for them.
Knight scraps to help England overcome Bangladesh scare.
With a valiant four-wicket victory over Bangladesh, which contrasted sharply with their ten-wicket thumping of South Africa to start the tournament, Heather Knight’s tenacious recovery lifted England out of danger and into first place on the World Cup table.
In just the second ODI between the two teams, Bangladesh’s skipper, Nigar Sultana, pleaded with her squad to demonstrate their abilities “so that teams like England and Australia show interest in playing against us.”
After England’s spin department held Bangladesh to 178 all-out, England was 78 for 5 after taking two wickets from Marufa Akter and then going 3 for 2 in 12 deliveries from Fahima Khatun. This seemed like a modest target.
Only two other batters reached double figures, but Rabeya Khan’s rapid 43 not out off just 27 balls and Sobhana Mostary’s first international half-century helped Bangladesh produce a competitive score.
However, Knight gritted her teeth, hammered out the runs, and used her luck to bring England home in her maiden international innings since tearing her hamstring from the bone during a T20I match against the West Indies in May. She overturned dismissals on 0, 8, and 13. With 23 balls remaining, the victory was assured thanks to her unbroken partnership with Charlie Dean for the seventh wicket, which was worth 79 in 100 balls.
England lost opener Amy Jones leg before wicket to Marufa at the end of the first over, then two balls later, Marufa dropped a sitter at cover off Tammy Beaumont, who was on 2 at the time, off the bowling of Nahida Akter. It was an exciting start to the run chase.
More drama ensued as TV umpire Gayathri Venugopalan first stated that there was inconclusive evidence that the bat made contact with the ball, while another angle suggested a gap. Marufa attempted to make amends with the first ball of her next over, believing she had Knight caught behind, but Knight survived on review.
Her replacement as England captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, helped herself to three fours off Marufa’s subsequent over, as Knight appeared to be far from fluent.
Knight carried on with her idyllic life, scoring 13 off 38 balls after spooning Fahima to Shorna Akter at cover and leaving. However, she was called back when the TV umpire declared that there was “inconclusive” proof that the fielder had her fingers under the ball.
Nigar had no seam option as Marufa departed the field with what looked to be a calf issue and never came back.
Emma Lamb picked out Nahida Akter at mid-on after managing just one off twelve deliveries, but Fahima and Bangladesh had to wait nervously for confirmation of her third wicket as the TV umpire assessed the catch once again before concluding it was clean.
Alice Capsey threatened to dig them out of trouble when Sanjida Akter Meghla, the left-arm spinner brought in to counter an England batting lineup full of right-handers, struck by rapping the back leg in line with the top of the leg stump.
Knight’s most effective shot throughout a long innings was the sweep, which she used to climb into the 30s after sweeping Shorna for four. She then sprinted down the pitch and clubbed Meghla for four more.
Knight seems content after that, achieving her 50 in 86 deliveries after being 15 off the 50 mark. She found a rhythm with Dean, who finished 27 not out after hitting the game-winning four off Mostary.