2017 ICC Champions Trophy – Captain’s Corner – Five Tactics England Must Use To Beat Bangladesh

Nov 2, 2023 at 3:51 PM

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2017 ICC Champions Trophy – Captain’s Corner – Five Tactics England Must Use To Beat Bangladesh

The eighth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy is set to commence on Thursday (June 1st) and it surely promises to be one serious event this time around.

With hosts England in some daunting form, and probably in their best ever phase of ODI cricket, lately, the side is easily being termed as the favourites ahead of the grand event. This is the third time they are hosting the ICC Champions Trophy and on both previous occasions, they ended up as runners up.

While they stood second to West Indies in 2004, it was India that got the better of them in the final of the previous edition.

England will begin its campaign against Bangladesh, a side which marks its return to the tournament for the first time since 2006. As a side, the Bangladeshis have taken rapid strides in ODI cricket since the 2015 World Cup and that has been credited mainly to the acumen and credibility of their veteran captain Mashrafe Mortaza.

With the first encounter set to light up the event, we go through the five tactics England must deploy in order to beat Bangladesh.

  1. Negate Mustafizur Rahman With The New Ball:

The Fizz, as well-wishers call him, is a pillar of strength for Bangladesh and has already piled up some serious numbers for himself in a brief ODI career.

With 43 wickets in a bare number of just 18 games, the left-arm pacer is surely Bangladesh’s trump card with the ball in England. The conditions are bound to assist him massively, as the overcast weather will aid swing both ways. We saw how lethal he was in his first spell against India in the side’s second warm-up game at the Oval.

Apart from that, Rahman is a skilful bowler who is known to strike frequently with the new ball right at the top. England, therefore must be wary of that and try to negate the first spell from the left arm pacer.

Jason Roy, who didn’t enjoy a good series against South Africa, in particular, must be patient while taking on Rahman.

  1. Joe Root Must Bat Through:

While England has several muscle men in their outfit who can smash the ball a long away, someone as stable, gentle and reliable is Joe Root is just the need of the hour for a team.

Root is England’s umbrella man and can be expected to bat through the innings if needed. While doing so, the right-hander can keep the scoreboard ticking at a rapid rate and propel the side’s chances of amassing a big total.

An ODI batting average of 47.89 with a strike rate slightly above 85 is enough to prove Root’s credentials as a limited overs batsman.

If Root bats throughout and is the fulcrum of the side, the other members can play their natural game and look for a really big total.

  1. Not Give Taskin Ahmed Easy Wickets In Between:

Apart from Mustafizur Rahman, Bangladesh has another gifted pacer in their ranks, in the form of the young and extremely energetic Taskin Ahmed.

Ahmed might not be as accurate and miserly as Rahman with the ball, but he surely is a serious wicket taker who can strike at the right time. 41 wickets in 27 ODI’s is a proof of his serious wicket-taking ability and his aggression is what often gives him the edge.

In games won by Bangladesh over the years, Taskin has often struck in the middle overs, which has dented the batting side’s hopes severely.

England needs to keep an eye on this aspect and ensure that the middle order isn’t tricked into throwing their wickets away against Taskin.

  1. Get Tamim Iqbal With The New Ball:

There is no secret behind the correlation of Tamim Iqbal impressing with the bat and Bangladesh piling up a big score. The opening batsman has been in some serious form at the top of the order and enjoys a good record in England previously.

Known to be a fluent stroke-maker, Tamim can set the arena ablaze if the ball comes on nicely initially. Bound to be England’s number one threat with the bat, the new ball bowlers will have to dismiss him early and cheaply at all costs.

In case the left-hander gets in and settles down, there could be some serious trouble for the hosts. The likes of Chris Woakes, who swing the ball away are England’s best bet of getting rid of Iqbal.

  1. Target The Out Of Form Shakib Al Hasan:

Shakib Al Hasan might be the number one ranked all-rounder in the ICC rankings, but the last few months haven’t been good for him.

Known to always chip in with the bat and strike at crucial junctures, the southpaw has been undergoing a poor run of form, of late, something which came to the fore even during his innings against India, yesterday.

Since the start of 2017, Shakib’s batting average has been down at 33, slightly below his career batting average. But the bigger worry has been his bowling since he averages a dismal 65.5 with the ball this year in seven ODI’s, having picked up just four wickets.

The conditions in England on top of that won’t assist him to a great extent and this is England’s best opportunity in further denting the confidence of Bangladesh’s greatest match winner ever.

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