Shakib Al Hasan became the second Bangladeshi batsman to score a century in a World Cup game on Saturday, but England still defeated the Tigers by 106 runs in Cardiff.
The in-form all-rounder hit 121 in 119 balls thanks to 12 fours and a six, joining an elite club that only had Mahmudullah prior to this match. The latter had scored back-to-back centuries against England and New Zealand in 2015.
However, today Shakib did not get the due support needed to go past England’s gigantic total of 386 for 6 and the Tigers had to succumb to their second successive defeat of the tournament.
Bangladesh had defeated England in 2011 and 2015, the previous two World Cup editions, but this time it was a completely different story.
Captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s decision to bowl first raised eyebrows, and the English openers made sure his bowlers get punished.
Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow made 128 in the opening partnership to set the perfect platform for a big total before Mashrafe broke the stand when Mehidy Hasan Miraz took a diving catch to dismiss Bairstow, who hit 51 off 50.
Joe Root (21) now joined Roy in the middle and they added 77 in the second wicket before Mohammad Saifuddin bowled the one-down batsman.
Saifuddin soon removed Roy, who gave a catch to Mashrafe in the fourth ball of the 35th over after hitting three sixes in the first three balls.
The Man-of-the-Match hammered 153 off 121 balls, courtesy of 14 fours and five sixes.
In came Buttler, firing two fours and four sixes to make 64 in 44 balls. He and skipper Eoin Morgan (35) added 95 in the fourth wicket partnership.
After the fall of the two in consecutive overs, Chris Woakes (18 off 8) and Liam Plunkett (27 off 9) took the score to 386, the seventh highest score in World Cup history.
Chasing 387, Bangladesh were dealt an early blow when Jofra Archer bowled Soumya Sarkar with a wonderful delivery with the team score on eight.
Tamim Iqbal (19) and Shakib then tried to offer some resistance, but Mark Wood soon removed the former, who certainly is not having the best time of his career.
Shakib was now joined by Mushfiqur Rahim (44) and they added 106 in the third wicket.
When Mushfiq was gone, it was clear Shakib was fighting a losing battle, yet he fought valiantly, playing a classic innings.
Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain contributed 28 and 26 respectively, yet that was too little given the big task at hand and all the team could manage is 280.
Archer and Ben Stokes were the most successful England bowlers, with three wickets each.
Bangladesh, eighth in the table with just two points, will play Sri Lanka in their next game on Tuesday. While England are now second with four points and they play West Indies on Friday.
Source: Prothom Alo.
