Leg-spinner Adil Rashid claimed an ODI career best four for 43 as England restricted Bangladesh to 277-6 in the series decider one-day global in Chittagong on Wednesday.
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With skipper Eoin Morgan sitting out the Bangladesh series over security concerns, wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler was tasked with leading a young and inexperienced squad against a side that had won their six previous home ODI series.
England’s Jos Buttler admitted to being “anxious” about captaining the side for their controversial one-day global tour of Bangladesh, before coming away with a thrilling series win.
The International Cricket Council fined Mortaza and batsman Sabbir Rahman 20 per cent of their match fees because match officials deemed the duo had overstepped the mark. But Bangladesh’s opening pair put that aside and focussed on the job at hand.
Bangladesh were in trouble once Woakes, who finished with 2-40, removed openers Imrul Kayes (11) and Tamim Iqbal (14) in his successive overs to leave the hosts at 26-2.
Mortaza came to the rescue with his quick-fire 44 which included two fours and three sixes.
All-rounder Ben Stokes has insisted that England can become the world’s best one-day global side if they maintain their upwards trajectory. The pair scored nine boundaries and a six between them but Nasir Hossain (1-43) provided the breakthrough for Bangladesh with the wicket of Vince.
England proved to be more than up for that challenge though, helped by slightly improved batting conditions, and Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes got them over the line with 13 balls to spare.
Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim, at the moment, are the second and third highest run-getters. On the turn, he collided with Bangladesh’s skipper.
But he fell the next over when Rashid deceived him with a googly and James Vince took the catch at short mid-wicket. The Tigers will fight hard, but it’s difficult to see them getting the job done.
The encounter infused new life into the contest and at this stage England were coming out on top.
The pair both made half-centuries as England’s makeshift line-up appeared to be coasting home before a wobble saw Duckett, Jonny Bairstow, Buttler and Moeen Alli all perish.
However, all three were given one demerit point, as part of the ICC’s revised code of conduct which was introduced last month, and should any of them reach four, they face being handed a suspension.
A setback came in the 41st over as Buttler (25) dragged on to Mashrafe Mortaza.
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Moeen Ali hopes England can assert themselves in the series decider against Bangladesh in Chittagong after admitting they took a step backwards in Dhaka.
