T20 World Cup 2021, ENG vs BAN (Super 12) Preview: Can Bangladesh earn its maiden win against a hyped England?

England is off to a convincing start to the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, while Bangladesh has been on the receiving end in the Super 12s. Meanwhile, both sides collide in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, as here is the preview.

T20 World Cup 2021, ENG vs BAN (Super 12) Preview: Team analysis, head-to-head, pitch, probable, fantasy xi-ayh

Ayush Gupta

Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates, First Published Oct 26, 2021, 5:08 PM IST | Last Updated Oct 26, 2021, 5:08 PM IST

Former champion England will be taking on Bangladesh in Group 1's Super 12 clash of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. While England is off to a convincing start, Bangladesh has fluttered in this round. We present the match preview of what is expected to be a tricky tie.

Current form
England has had a mixed performance in the tournament so far, winning and losing a game each during the warm-ups, while it went on to annihilate defending champion Windies by six wickets, with 70 balls to spare. As for Bangladesh, it was off to a jumpy start, losing to former champion Sri Lanka by five wickets, having lost win a couple and losing one in its three Group Stage games.

LIVE SCORECARD: ICC T20 World Cup 2021, England vs Bangladesh (Super 12)

Team strength & weaknesses, and players to watch out
Considering England, it is packed in its batting, with 11 batters, while it has eight bowlers. While England's top-order would be the key here, the middle-order has also been left exposed due to skipper Eoin Morgan's poor form. Meanwhile, the focus would also be upon Jason Roy, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood and Chris Jordan.

On the other hand, Bangladesh is slightly heavy with the bat, while it has raised eyebrows with a packed all-rounder department. Although its batting has been praiseworthy, its bowlers need to be more effective. The onus would again be upon the likes of Soumya Sarkar, captain Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mustafizur Rahman, and some more.

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Injury concerns, head-to-head, weather and pitch report
None of the sides has any notable injury concerns. Astonishingly, the two sides have never played each other in the format to date. Yes, you read that right. The Abu Dhabi weather would be warm, with 32 degrees of expected temperature and 43% humidity. The track would somewhat aid the batters, while the side winning the toss would chase due to some dew factor.

Probable XI
England: Jos Buttler (wk), Jason Roy, Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Chris Jordan and Tymal Mills.
Bangladesh: Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Naim, Shakib al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad (c), Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman.

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Fantasy XI
Batters: Mahmudullah, Roy, Naim- Roy and Naim would give the perfect start, while Mahmudullah can fire at number three.
Wicketkeeper: Rahim- He has been promising of late and can act as a finisher for the side.
All-rounders: Hasan (c), Moeen, Mahedi- Hasan is sure to deliver in all departments, making him the skipper. While Moeen would dominate with the bat, Mahedi would act with his spins.
Bowlers: Rashid, Rahman (vc), Mills, Saifuddin- Rashid has been effective with his spins, while the remaining three would rock it with their pace, as Rahman's effectiveness makes him the deputy captain.

Match details
Date and day: October 27, 2021 (Wednesday)
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Time: 3.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi (Also available in HD, along with regional languages)
Where to watch (Online): Hotstar