In modern-day 50-over cricket, England usually start off as overwhelming favourites whenever they face Bangladesh, with the sole exception of when they tour Bangladesh. But the scenario is not so straightforward ahead of Tuesday's ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match in Dharamsala between the two teams. In the opening match of the 2023 ODI World Cup, England suffered a walloping from New Zealand in a sequel to the epic 2019 ODI World Cup final, while Bangladesh enjoyed a comfortable six-wicket win against Afghanistan in their first game. (Scorecard | Streaming | Full Coverage)
Bangladesh will hence be looking to capitalize on England's vulnerabilities and cause an upset by beating the defending champions in the early stages of the tournament. The match will be played at the scenic Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala, which is in the news right now for its sub-par outfield. England skipper Jos Buttler has gone on record to slam the outfield, calling it "poor" and not ideal for any fielding side.
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"I think it's poor, in my own opinion. I think any time you're talking about being careful diving, or maybe being careful when you're fielding, it goes against everything you want to be as a team," Buttler said ahead of the England vs Bangladesh match.
Let's take a look at three key individual battles that will help decide the outcome of Tuesday's match.
Jos Buttler Vs Shakib Al Hasan
The duel of the two captains promises to be an exciting one. While Buttler has made a name for his explosive ability at the top of the order and his propensity to tackle spin with aggression, Shakib is a wily customer and has the wealth of experience with him. Both players have an adequate understanding of the conditions here, having played a lot of IPL cricket, and it could well be a battle of wits, more than anything else.
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Moeen Ali Vs Najmul Hossain Shanto
This one promises to be the classical face-off between the right-arm off-spinner and the left-hand batter, and also one between youthful exuberance and age-old craft. The 36-year-old Moeen is not averse to flighting the ball and giving it a good rip. Shanto, on the other hand, is a talented 25-year-old southpaw who has been among the runs in the recent past and is used to playing quality spin. The winner of this battle can land their side a sizeable advantage.
Dawid Malan Vs Taskin Ahmed
An ageing but explosive top-order batter who has done well in the shorter formats of the game. A tall fast bowler who has the fire within to unsettle batters with pace and bounce. When the two collide, there's bound to be fireworks. Both players are enjoying a rich vein of form currently, and will be looking to get the better of the other. Taskin will try to not let Dawid free his arms during the powerplay, while the southpaw will be looking to make the most of the field restrictions.
