Bangladesh suffer woeful warm-up for Champions Trophy opener

With a powerful batting lineup, including pugnacious openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales, test captain Joe Root, Morgan, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, England usually score their runs rapidly.

If England are to end their 50-over worldwide hoodoo, it would be hard to consider a time when opportunity is knocking louder than it now is. Even so, 305 was Bangladesh’s highest score against England, in its first one-day global on English soil in seven years.

Prior to its scrapping, former England skipper Mike Brearley, chairman of influential advisory group the MCC World Cricket Committee, expressed fears over the Champions Trophy being handed a reprieve. He combined for 166 with Mushfiqur Rahim, who was out for 79 straight after Tamim departed.

India has won all the two warm-up games very comfortably and this will boost the confidence of the team while Pakistan also won the warm up match but not so convincingly. “But on any given day we can beat any team in the world”. “We will unleash our best pace attack, maybe three or four fast bowlers if needed, or a combination of spin and pace”, the 30-year-old wicket-keeper/batsman said. The match is expected to be high scoring and weather would be overcast.

Morgan’s 33rd half-century came off 61 balls and his knock of 75 included eight boundaries and two sixes. They, however, faced off in the shortest version of the game during last year’s ICC World T20 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. We know that cricket is loved worldwide, so we wanted to make sure our Doodle works for everyone, including those on slower mobile networks.

“We were bowled out for 84 in that practice game against India”.

“If we (India) play to our potential, we will definitely go and win the game”, he added. Batsmen got runs, bowlers were outstanding as well. If the sun is out, it’s pretty attractive to bat. Their departures stalled Bangladesh just when it needed to be surging.

“In this holy month of Ramadan, I hope and pray that Pakistan team achieve success and I request every fan of Pakistan team to pray for team’s success”, said an emotional Ajaz while talking to this correspondent in his traditional attire.

It would also lead to new insights on stroke play and rich story-telling experience with regard to broadcasting.