Sports desk, Mar 01: Dawid Malan hit a magnificent hundred to guide England to a-three-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first of the three-match one-day international series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday.
With Malan making an unbeaten 145 ball 114 balls, his fourth hundred in this format, the world champions cruised to 212-7, with eight balls to spare, in reply to 209 by the hosts.
Najmul Hossain Shanto scored the highest with 58 off 82 balls for Bangladesh while Mahmudullah finished with a 48-ball 31.
Taijul Islam was the peak of the Bangladesh bowlers scalping 3-54 while Mehidy Hasan Miraz claimed two and Shakib Al Hasan, Taskin Ahmed took one wicket each.
Chasing a modest total, England batsmen found life difficult on a tricky Sher-e-Bangla wicket as they lost their top five batsmen for 103.
Then riding on Malan’s match winning knock the Three Lions reached the target in 48.4 overs.
Earlier, choosing to bat first, Bangladesh lost both their openers — Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das — before the first 10 overs.
Tamim scored 23 off 32 balls while Liton, who clearly struggled at the crease, made seven off 15 balls.
Mushfiqur Rahim struggled as well. His misery came to an end through Adil Rashid after scoring 16 from 34 balls at a strike rate of below 50.
Mahmudullah put up a 53-run partnership with Shanto but he got out in the 30s. The lower order couldn’t contribute much to the scoreboard.
Afif Hossain, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz both got out before reaching the double-digit mark.
For England Mark Wood, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, and Jofra Archer bagged all claimed two wickets.
