Uphill challenge for hosts as world champions England look to conquer Bangladesh
Big picture: A 'proper contest' awaits
Long gone is the "little brother vs big brother" equation in Bangladesh-England matches. The 2015 World Cup game brought a bit of edge into the contests, and then came the pushing and shoving between players in the end-of-game beeline during the last bilateral series back in 2016. Since then, this fixture has become a 'proper contest' although the two sides are playing a bilateral series after a seven-year gap.
This is now a battle between the world champions and the team that aspires to be new world champions. Bangladesh have won seven home ODI series in a row after beating India in December. Mehidy Hasan Miraz single-handedly won them two games but it is the nature of the Bangladesh team these days that they have matchwinners all through the XI.
Tamim Iqbal, who missed the India series through a groin injury, returns to a strong line-up that includes Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah. But these days, Litton Das, Mehidy and Taskin Ahmed are dangerous opponents too.
England will have their hands full, but there's also a lot of respect for this side in Bangladesh. The English players are BPL regulars, and even played plenty of Dhaka Premier League in the past decade. Just like everywhere else in the world, England now have better understanding of conditions, attitudes and cultures, and Bangladesh expects nothing different this time.
They will be without Harry Brook and Ben Duckett - who are in New Zealand with the Test side - but they have Will Jacks, James Vince and Mark Wood among their recalls into the ODI side. Rehan Ahmed is another intriguing inclusion, given how the Dhaka pitches tend to assist spinners.
It promises to be a great contest between the England and the side, like many others around the world, that wants to be the next England.
Form guide
Bangladesh LWWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
England WLLLL
In the spotlight: Tamim-Shakib and Moeen
Much of the focus will be on how Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan carry themselves in the wake of the BCB president's revelations that they don't see eye-to-eye. Tamim has stressed that their on-field relationship is sound, and that's all that matters. They have been the most successful cricketers for Bangladesh, and both are current captains. But would the opposition let them forget this topic when they are batting together in the middle?
There will be a lot riding on how Moeen Ali comes into the game in the middle-order and middle overs. Moeen's role as vice-captain was essential to England's T20 World Cup success in Australia and he has the skills to make a difference in the subcontinent, ahead of the ODI World Cup in India in October-November. Moeen's local knowledge - he was with the Comilla Victorians that lifted their fourth BPL title two weeks ago - will come handy, especially to know when the press the accelerator.
Team news: Taijul, Rehan in focus
Tamim will slot into Anamul Haque's place. Taijul Islam could play in Ebadot Hossain's slot as the third specialist spinner.
Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Litton Das, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Afif Hossain, 7 Towhid Hridoy, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Mustafizur Rahman.
England are expected to lean towards picking an extra spin-bowling allrounder in Will Jacks, rather than an extra seamer. They are likely to rotate the quicks over the course of the tour. Rehan Ahmed is likely to get a game at some stage in the series, but missed two days of training this week due to illness.
England (possible): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 James Vince, 5 Jos Buttler (capt/wk), 6 Will Jacks, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Chris Woakes/Mark Wood, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Jofra Archer/Saqib Mahmood.
Pitch and conditions
The Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch is expected to assist spinners as usual, but the BPL's knockout phase, couple of weeks ago, saw plenty of runs scored here. The 12pm start time is to avoid heavy dew after sunset.
Stats and trivia
- Shakib is six wickets away from becoming the first Bangladesh bowler to take 300 ODI wickets.
- Shakib has another milestone on his radar. He and Mushfiqur are 165 and 189 runs away, respectively, from reaching 7,000 ODI runs.
- Moeen needs four wickets to complete 100 ODI wickets.
- The series will be broadcast live by Sky Sports and on the ECB website after a last-minute deal with the BCB.
Quotes
"They are the world champions. They have one team playing somewhere else, they have another team here. They have mind-blowing depth of talent. We want to see where we are at, and find out the gap that we have to bridge. If we do well in these conditions, it will give us confidence."
Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha on whether the hosts can lift themselves against a strong opponent.
"We have lost 8 in the last 10 but we are also the champions of the world and have done well before that. And actually, we haven't really had our best team for a lot of the time recently."
Moeen Ali believes it would be unwise to read much into England's recent form.