On this day in 2015 – Bangladesh defeat England to knock them out of World Cup
There are some matches that change a team’s attitude towards the sport and make them a better team mentally. In many ways, this match changed Bangladesh cricket and from here on, they became a team to reckon with. But the defeat spurred England to investigate deeper and eventually put them on the path of winning the 2019 World Cup.
Bangladesh and England arrived in Adelaide to play what was supposed to be a knockout match, with the winner confirming a spot in the quarter-finals. In 15 matches between the two teams until then, England had won 13. Bangladesh had won only two. So, clearly, England were starting as the firm favourites. But the last time these two teams had faced each other was back in the 2011 Cricket World Cup when Bangladesh had beaten England in Chattogram.
But, it had been four years and England’s team was changed almost completely. Bangladesh still had some of the heroes of that match. Mahmudullah had played a crucial hand in the run chase that night in 2011. This time, he came out to bat at 8 for 2. His innings was possibly one of the slowest centuries in that tournament, but for Bangladesh, it was the first-ever at a World Cup.
He was well supported by Mushfiqur Rahim, who scored 89 runs from 77 balls, to drive the run rate up which was under check most of the time during the innings. Their partnership of 140 runs, set England a target of 276 runs.
England struggles in the chase
Everyone knew the chase would be tricky with the pressure right on the English team. Bangladesh not only tightened the screws of England run chase, but regular strikes meant that the Barmy Army was kept quiet for most of the innings. However, a partnership between Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes kept England in the match.
And it had to be Rubel Hossain to turn the tide once again towards the Tigers. With England needing 16 runs from 12 balls, Hossain bowled the crucial penultimate over. Woakes was kept stranded at the other end, as he witnessed Rubel get the last two wickets from just three balls and England fell 15 runs short.
A lot of things happened in just a matter of a few balls. England were knocked out of the tournament, Bangladesh qualified for the knockouts for the first time in a World Cup and Rubel became a star back home. What happened after this match would go on to become one of the highlights of ODI cricket in this century. England went on to rebuild their ODI team over the next few years, eventually winning their first World Cup in 2019 while Bangladesh became one of the forces to reckon with at the international stage, with consistent performances from here on.
