England Elects to Bat First Against Bangladesh in T20 World Cup Opener
In their opening match of the T20 World Cup, England has opted to bat first after winning the toss at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Captain Heather Knight explained that the absence of dew and the ease of defending a total influenced their decision.
England’s lineup features a formidable four-woman spin attack, with Linsey Smith, Danielle Gibson, and Nat Sciver-Brunt joining Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone. Smith, who has been tipped as a potential opening bowler, was preferred over Lauren Bell.
Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana acknowledged that her team would have made the same choice, having successfully batted first against Scotland in their tournament opener. They have made one change to their side, bringing in Dilara Akter at the top of the order in place of Murshida Khatun.
“We have a very good bowling attack and will look to restrict them to a total that we can chase,” Sultana said.
Bangladesh secured a 16-run victory over Scotland in the tournament’s opening match, marking their first T20 World Cup win in a decade. However, they have a losing record against England in T20Is, having been defeated on all three previous occasions, including at the 2018 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.
