England were handed a drubbing by New Zealand in their first match and were expected to bounce back against a high-on-confidence Bangladesh. Sri Lanka too were expected to put in a good performance against Pakistan after being beaten comprehensively by South Africa. As expected the day witnessed some breathtaking cricket and some memorable performances.
Malan Brings Calm in Dharamsala
High in the mountains England batted with great intent and purpose with the extremely focused and cool Dawid Malan ( one of the most consistent batsmen in white ball cricket ) notching up his 6th ODI Century. The Bangladesh bowlers had no answer as England played around Malan with Joe Root once again contributing with another exquisite display of batting. England had amassed 364 runs and though it was a good pitch to bat on, the signs were ominous for Bangladesh.
Reece Topley – The Game Changer
Reece Topley wrecks Bangla Top Order
Reece Topley, the tall left-arm pacer was brought into the playing XI for this match ( setting right the error England had made against New Zealand ). Topley, with a lovely action, good pace and the ability to move the ball both ways was a real handful for Bangladesh. The ball swung under lights and Topley ripped out the top order. By the 9th over Bangladesh were already 4 down and could never recover, losing by a mammoth 137 runs. Litton Das was the sole spark for Bangladesh. England thus made a roaring comeback, riding on Malan and Topley’s superb performances. Though the limelight has been on Woakes and Mark Wood, in my opinion, Reece Topley is a big English threat too.
Kusal Mendis batters Pak Bowlers in Hyderabad
Pakistan faced Sri Lanka in Hyderabad and though Pakistan had won their first match against the Netherlands, they were not at their best. Sri Lanka was going to be a tough opponent and so it proved. Kusal Mendis has come of age and is doing justice to his immense talent. When I see him play he reminds me of the great Aravinda De Silva. Mendis might be slightly taller and leaner than him, but exhibits the same poise at the wicket. His strokeplay is phenomenal and the timing is exquisite. The Pak bowlers were battered by him as he raced to a century of just 65 balls and had he stayed at the wicket a little longer, a 400-plus score was on the cards.
Pak Pull it Back
As Mendis departed Pak bowlers began to breathe easy and tried to claw back into the match. SL let go of a great opportunity and finished at 344 after Sadeera Samarawickrama scored an emphatic ton to keep the innings together, however, it could have been much more. On the bowling side, Pakistan were ineffective and even bowled poorly at times. The spin department is woefully short of form and the Pacers too are not delivering any stirring performances barring a few glimpses from Haris Rauf. Bowling for Pakistan needs quick redressal undoubtedly. With 345 to win it was a mountain to climb for Pakistan as they never have been good chasers and it so appeared at the break that SL had done enough.
Shafique-Rizwan : The Impactful Duo Amidst Poor Lankan Bowling
Abdullah Shafique & Rizwan
Pak’s innings started with a whimper. Imam Ul Haq again was found wanting playing the short ball and perished. Babar Azam nicked one on the leg side to the keeper, pushing Pakistan further into a deep abyss. Lankans had their noses ahead. However, the hugely capable Abdullah Shafique and the street fighter Rizwan came together and did the least expected. Shafique with an immaculate technique played some glorious shots and made the Lankans pay for their pedestrian bowling. SL had suffered at the hands of the South Africans and a repeat of the same was happening. Shafique and Rizwan stitched a massive 176-run partnership to get ahead in the game. Both getting hundreds with Rizwan fighting cramps and exhaustion to remain till the end and win it for his team.
SL Demoralised
Sri Lanka have a massive problem going forward in the World Cup. Their batting and bowling are headed in different directions. While batting is soaring high, the bowling is down in the dumps. With another demoralising defeat ( their faces said it all ), SL would be required to make changes to their bowling attack going forward. For Pakistan they would be buoyed by their record-shattering victory, setting up a terrific clash with India at Ahmedabad on the 14th.
India face Afghanistan today at Delhi in the absence of Shubhman Gill. A run fest can be expected as India prepare to brush aside the Afghan challenge.
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Featured Image : Malan showing the way.