Dawid Malan century guides England to win over Bangladesh in ODI opener

Left-hander smashes eight fours and four sixes as visitors secure three-wicket victory in Mirpur

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  Dawid Malan leaves the field after his century guided England to victory over Bangladesh in the first ODI at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on March 1, 2023. Getty

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  Dawid Malan finished unbeaten on 114 off 145 balls as England won by three wickets in Mirpur. AFP

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  England's Dawid Malan celebrates reaching his century. Reuters

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  England batter Phil Salt is bowled by Bangladesh's Taijul Islam for 12. Reuters

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  Bangladesh's Taijul Islam finished with figures of 3-54 off his 10 overs. Reuters

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  Najmul Hossain Shanto top scored for Bangladesh with 58 off 82 balls. Getty

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  England bowler Jofra Archer celebrates after taking the wicket of Mehidy Hasan Miraz for seven. Getty

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  Bangladesh's Mahmudullah hit 31 off 48 balls. Reuters

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  England bowler Moeen Ali celebrates with Adil Rashid after taking the wicket of Bangladesh's Taijul Islam for 10. Reuters

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  Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has his stumps rearranged by England pace bowler Mark Wood. AFP

A battling century from Dawid Malan guided England to victory over Bangladesh in a low-scoring opener to the one-day international series in Mirpur on Wednesday.

England had been set a modest target of 210 thanks largely to Najmul Hossain Shanto's maiden ODI fifty, while Moeen Ali, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid each claimed two wickets.

The visitors looked in trouble at 65-4 – with Jason Roy (four), Phil Salt (12) James Vince (six) and Jos Buttler (nine) all out cheaply – but Malan held the innings together with a 145-ball 114 to take the touring side over the finish line with eight balls to spare.

The left-hander smashed eight fours and four sixes but more importantly held his nerve as wickets tumbled at the other end on a tricky surface to bring up his fourth ODI century with a boundary in the 46th over.

“I've spent a fair bit of time here in Bangladesh and at this ground and it definitely helps to have a little bit of experience,” said player of the match Malan, who has played domestic cricket in the country.

“I definitely didn't find it easy. I said to Jos Buttler if they had got another 30 or 40 more, it would have been incredibly tough to chase but credit to the way we hung in there with the ball and pegged them back after they had a decent start.

“We were expecting to lose wickets on a pitch like that. I don't think you can walk out thinking you're going to knock it off two down.”

The hosts made a decent start after electing to bat first, with captain Tamim Iqbal making 23. But after Chris Woakes earned the first breakthrough with the wicket of Liton Das, England struck whenever a partnership was developing.

Tamim was bowled by Wood before the spinners were called into action, as England got valuable South Asian practice ahead of their defence of the ODI World Cup crown in India later this year.

Moeen bowled Shakib Al Hasan for eight before Rashid picked up the wicket of Mushfiqur Rahim.

Najmul and Mahmudullah Riyad (31) forged a 53-run partnership for the fifth wicket before they fell in successive overs.

Debutant Will Jacks claimed the wicket of Afif Hossain three overs later to kill off Bangladesh's remaining chance of putting up a big total.

“I thought the position we were in, we should have scored at least 30-35 more,” said Tamim. “We started well and lost three back-to-back wickets.

“Have to give it to Malan,” he added. “We tried everything in our bowling options.”