The Tigers swept England in the T20 series, showing their strength, while they failed in the ODI series. Nevertheless, Bangladesh was strongest in ODI, and fans had an expectation to win the one-day series. Last November, England secured the T20 World Cup title in Australia, firmly establishing their reputation as a formidable opponent in this format of cricket. Despite this, Bangladesh was able to whitewash England in the 2023 BAN vs ENG T20 series, leaving the question if anyone had predicted such an outcome prior to the start of the series.
Overall Performance of Bangladesh Team in T20 Series Against England
After losing the first two T20 matches, England tried hard in the third match to avoid the whitewash. And England had been performing well until the fourteenth over.. David Malan was caught behind the wicket after being unable to handle Mustafiz's outswing and extra bounce, earning Mustafiz his hundredth wicket in a T20 International match. This signaled the start of England's downfall, as Jos Buttler was run out on the very next ball. The first two balls of the 14th over had the audience on the edge of their seats, turning the T20 into an intense and suspenseful thriller.
At the end of 13 overs, with England needing 159 runs to win and being 100/1, who could have predicted that their dream of victory would fall down at 142/6? Did the world champions sense their world would soon become gray as five wickets fell for 28 runs in five overs, sending their required run rate rocketing from 8 to 12 per over? Malan and Buttler's partnership of 95 runs for the second wicket kept England's hopes of avoiding a washout alive as long as they stayed at the crease. However, Mustafiz's intervention caused England's innings to smash.
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Bangladesh scored 158 runs in 20 overs, losing only two wickets, thanks to Litton Das's ninth T20 fifty and an impressive partnership of 84 runs between Litton and Najmul Hossain Shanto for the second wicket. There is no doubt that Litton and Najmul Hossain formed the cornerstone of the Bangladesh innings, with Litton scoring his first fifty of the series with 73 runs off 57 balls. His performance earned him the award of the Player of the Match. Najmul Hossain was also successful, registering the series-best performance of 144 runs in three matches with an unbeaten 47 off 36 balls. Najmul Hossain Shanto won the Player of the Series award.
Previously, Shakib’s team started the T20 series against England with a win at Chittagong. After winning the toss at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong, Shakib Al Hasan chose to bowl first. The opening pair of Philip Salt and captain Jos Buttler made a promising start, putting together 80 runs. Nasum Amed's efforts in the tenth over proved to be Bangladesh's first success as he picked Philip Salt’s wicket for 38 runs off 35 balls in the last ball of the over. Dawid Malan, who had been in impressive form in the ODI series, unfortunately, got out for a duck, being dismissed by Najmul Hasan Shanto off a ball from Shakib. Mustafizur then bowled Duckett for 20 runs off 13 balls. England collected 156 runs.
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On the other hand, Litton Das was unable to have a big score. Nonetheless, he arrived at the crease and ultimately accumulated 12 runs from 10 deliveries. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's opening batsman Rony Talukdar managed 21 runs from 14 balls. Nevertheless, the home team's innings were put in a difficult situation, as they had lost two wickets for only 43 runs. Najmul Hossain Shanto and Towhid Hridoy then assumed control of the team, forming a formidable third-wicket partnership. Shanto boosted Bangladesh's innings with a personal tally of 51 runs from 30 balls, featuring 8 fours. Towhid, meanwhile, provided the only six of the innings, scoring 24 runs from 17 balls, including 2 fours and 1 six. Bangladesh suddenly went from 108 for 2 wickets to 112 for 4 wickets and was under some pressure again. This time the captain came as a savior. Shakib remained not out with 34 runs off 24 balls with 6 fours, while Afif Hossain scored 15 runs off 13 balls alongside Shakib.
Bangladesh’s performance was also great in the second T20I match in Dhaka. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and decided to bowl at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium. England could not stand in front of the bowling attack of Bangladesh. Jos Buttler's team was all out for 117 runs in 20 overs. Ben Duckett scored the highest 28 runs. Mehdy Hasan Miraz took 4 wickets for Bangladesh. With 11 balls to spare, Bangladesh managed to chase down the 118-run target on a slow-turner wicket, losing six wickets in the process. Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored with 46 runs, while Miraz and Towhid Hridoy contributed 20 and 17 runs, respectively to the successful run chase.
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Top Bangladeshi Players in the T20 Series Against England
After losing the ODI series, the Bangladesh team made a concerted effort to maximize their batting, bowling, and fielding performances in the three matches. The fielding, in particular, has been top-notch, which has been a great asset in the T20 format, where small margins can make a big difference.
Among all the Bangladeshi players, Najmul Hossain Shanto put in a great effort in all three T20 matches. It seems his BPL experience comes in handy. His T20 performance against England was impressive, with a total impact of 153.2 in just three matches. In these matches, he scored a total of 144 runs, making a significant contribution to the Bangladesh team's success. With an impact per match of 51, Shanto showed his ability to make an impact with his performances. His contribution was vital in Bangladesh's victory over England in the T20 series, demonstrating his skills as a top-level cricketer.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz's T20 performance against England was a mixed bag of batting and bowling. In two matches, he had a total impact of 104.4, with an impact per match of 52.2. However, he made his overall with his bowling, taking four crucial wickets for his team. Miraz's bowling performance was especially noteworthy, as he played a crucial role by taking 4 wickets for 12 runs in Bangladesh's victory over England in the second T20. Overall, Miraz's performance was commendable, and he showed his versatility as a player, making valuable contributions in both batting and bowling.
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Top English Players in the T20 Series Against Bangladesh
Although the English team could not win a single T20 match, some of the players gave their best to prove themselves. And captain Jos Buttler's name comes first. His batting performance was outstanding, with a total impact of 137.7 in three matches. In these matches, he scored a total of 111 runs, showcasing his ability to make an effect with his performances. With an impact per match of 45.9, Buttler proved himself as one of the most crucial players for the England team. His aggressive approach to batting and his ability to contribute a quick score made him a valuable asset to the team.
Jofra Archer's bowling skill against Bangladesh was undeniable, as evidenced by his total impact of 109.1 in three matches and four wickets were taken. His impressive impact per match of 36.3 further demonstrated his bowling expertise and earned him the admiration of the England team.
Final Words
England's whitewash in Bangladesh proves that no matter who the opponents are, the Tigers have the capacity to triumph over any nation at home ground. Bangladesh cricket team have proved that several times in recent years. And in the 2023 BAN vs ENG T20I Series, Shakib-Al-Hasan’s team defeated the world champions at home. Bangladesh can surely take pride in this win, with each individual player and the whole team performing brilliantly to outplay England. On the other hand, this is the second time England has been whitewashed in a three-match bilateral T20I series. The last time they were whitewashed against Australia was back in 2014.
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