ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Bangladesh's predicted XI vs. England
Heading into the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy on the back of two defeats in the two warm-up game against Pakistan and India, Bangladesh could not have asked for a tougher opposition to start their campaign with hosts and pre-tournament favourites England awaiting them at The Oval on Thursday.
Despite qualifying for the tournament ahead of reigning World T20 champions West Indies by virtue of a better ICC ODI ranking, the Mashrafe Mortaza-led side is expected to find the going difficult having been grouped alongside Australia and New Zealand apart from Eoin Morgan’s side.
The humiliating 240-run loss against India seemed to be a pointer of things to come as the Bangladeshi batsmen failed to cope up with the Indian fast bowlers. But the one thing that the current 6th ranked ODI side in the world have in abundance is an unending confidence in their own ability and the players are capable of causing an upset or two like England found out at the 2015 ODI World Cup.
The hosts have undergone a remarkable turnaround in their approach ever since their disappointing exit in the group stages of that tournament and are undoubtedly the team to beat with a well-balanced side that boasts a line-up that bats deep and is ably supported by an aggressive group of fast bowlers.
This is how Bangladesh is expected to line up as they attempt to spoil the party for the English crowd in the Champions Trophy opener on Thursday.
Openers
Tamim Iqbal
With an average of above 50 in ODI cricket over the past two years, Tamim Iqbal is the one Bangladesh will be pinning their hopes on to get the team off to a steady start. He has already registered his intent in England with a splendid century against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy warm-up game.
With two centuries and three 50+ knocks in his past nine innings, Tamim is a man in red-hot form at the moment and undoubtedly one of the most vital members of this Bangladesh side.
Soumya Sarkar
In the aggressive Soumya Sarkar, Bangladesh has the ideal batting partner for Tamim and the 24-year-old is someone who has been in decent touch as well. With an average of above 40 in ODI cricket, he has made a good start to his international career and is someone with a good future ahead of him.
Sarkar will have fond memories of facing England as his only previous 50-over game against Eoin Morgan's side was that memorable encounter at the 2015 World Cup which saw Bangladesh pull off a huge upset and sent England packing.