Optimistic Bangladesh face England in rare ODI meeting between the two sides in Women’s International cricket.
Optimistic Bangladesh look to challenge England in rare meeting.
An ODI World Cup match pits Bangladesh against England. The sentence is an event in and of itself. Even though Bangladesh qualified for both the 2022 and 2025 ODI World Cups, they have only played England once in the format, and that was in the previous edition.
“This is the stage where we show our capabilities so that teams like England and Australia show interest in playing against us,” Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana said on match eve.
Bangladesh will travel England for three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and as many Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in September 2027, according to the new future tours calendar, which will span from 2025 to 29. The fixture can cease to be an event at that point.
Both sides are coming off fairly easy victories on the pitch. Bangladesh, whose batsmen frequently find it difficult to drive the pace, may face a difficult task against England’s multifaceted assault. On the other hand, Bangladesh’s spin-heavy attack under Nahida Akter might prove more than a handful for England if the track helps spin. In the first game, their batters were barely tested.
In England’s batting lineup, Emma Lamb is already adjusting to a second role. She opened for winners Lancashire and was the top run scorer in the ECB Women’s One-Day Cup, scoring her only century at the top of the order.
Lamb will play a completely different role now that Knight is returning for the World Cup, batting in the lower-middle order and contributing a few offspin overs. In England’s tournament opener, she was not required with the bat or the ball, but if her side bats first against Bangladesh, she might get her first opportunity in this new role.
Marufa Akter simply enjoys bowling. She lighted up their first practice session in India after leading Bangladesh to victory against Pakistan. Marufa was full of energy and bowled at full tilt two days before the match because the weather forced the squad indoors. She bowled skipper Sultana once after persistently bothering her in the nets. Tammy Beaumont struggles early against the incoming angle, and Jones likes a cautious start. Marufa’s ability to move the new ball and generate fast pace might make her a significant threat to England’s openers.