Last Updated on 10 years by Charbel Coorey

Eoin Morgan has had a tough time of it this tournament

As an Australian but very passionate Bangladesh fan, it doesn’t get much better than this. This is the game I marked on the calendar when the World Cup draw was released and it’s turned out exactly as I had hoped. Bangladesh have the chance to knock out the old foe, England, from the World Cup and progress to the quarter finals. England will be nervous with the thought of an embarrassing early exit and an unforgiving English media on their mind.

This is a must win game for both sides but for different reasons. For Bangladesh, they need one win out of their last two but their last game is against New Zealand. Even tho-
ugh they have beaten New Zealand in their last seven completed ODIs against them, they don’t stand much of a chance against the red hot co hosts away from Bangladesh. As a result, this game against England is their best chance to progress. For England, defeat will spell the end. They currently sit three points behind Bangladesh and anything less than a win in Adelaide will not be enough ahead of their match against Afghanistan on Friday. England have lost two of their last three against Bangladesh – one defeat in England in 2010 and one in Bangladesh during the 2011 World Cup, so they’ll have to be on high alert.

Joe Root has been the shining light for disappointing England

Both sides scored in excess of 300 in the last games but the bowling performances left a lot to be desired. England weren’t even close in defending 309 v Sri Lanka and Bangladesh conceded 318 against Scotland and eventually dealt well with the pressure of a big chase and got home thanks to runs from their top order. The signs point to more runs in Adelaide with a flat pitch and short square boundaries expected.

For a game of this magnitude, it will be int
eresting to see the teams selected as there is uncertainty in both camps in terms of their final XIs. For England, there has been talk of Alex Hales returning and adding some extra oomph to the top order. Also, Steven Finn, who simply hasn’t developed into the bowler he should be at this stage of his career, could make way for Chris Jordan. For Bangladesh, do they pick Imrul Kayes to replace the injured Anamul or do they go with the extra spinner? There are good cases for both but I think they may go with Imrul for extra batting cover. Whichever way Bangladesh and England go, both sides will have to deal with the pressure of the occasion.

Key for Bangladesh to win:

Bangladesh have done what they needed to do so far by beating Afghanistan and Scotland, while grabbing a bonus point against Australia at a rain sodden Gabba. The key for them is to rise to the occasion and do the little things right as they’ve failed to step up in big games before. They’ll need to keep the pressure on England – their quicks, spinners, fielders and batsmen
must all contribute to increasing England’s discomfort. If their spinners bowl well but their seamers let them down, England can still run away with things. The key for Bangladesh is to do the simple things really well.

Key for England to win:

England are the favourites – all the pressure is on them as they face an embarrassing early exit. The key for England is not to play within themselves and play with the burden of the pressure they face. They must put Bangladesh’s batsmen and bowlers under pressure through aggressive cricket. Bangladesh are a team that can cause headaches for any side so England need to take the game to them. It will be interesting to see if England play Steven Finn – he needs to have faith placed in him and plus, he’s a wicket taker.

Players to watch for Bangladesh:

If Shakib gets going, England could be in trouble

I’ve picked four. These four players need to have good games if Bangladesh are to knock England out. The first is Shakib Al Hasan, the best allrounder in the game in my opinion. He has stepped up for Bangladesh with bat and ball consistently in his career and a fine performance in setting up a Bangladesh win here will increase his credentials even further. The second is Tamim Iqbal. He loves England. 2010 was his best year as a batsman, scoring an ODI century and two Test
centuries (in England) against England as well as half centuries. When he gets going, he can give Bangladesh a great start and make England worried. The third is Mushfiqur Rahim. His career statistics may not look too flash but his performances in the last few years in all formats have been excellent. For such a little guy, he packs a punch and Bangladesh would want important runs from him in the middle order and to take every chance that comes to him behind the stumps. The fourth is the captain Mashrafe Mortaza. He is Bangladesh’s best and most experienced seamer. He is key because if he can keep England quiet at the top and take a wicket or two, the spinners can look to expose England’s middle order.

Players to watch for England:

James Anderson has taken just two wickets in four games this WC

I’ve picked three. Stuart Broad and James Anderson must step up – they’ve been well under par in this tournament. James Anderson needs to rediscover the form he had in the tri-series against Australia and India whereas Stuart Broad needs to take on more responsibility. A huge game for both – early
wickets at the top can settle nerves. The third is skipper Eoin Morgan who hasn’t got going in this World Cup. Here is his chance in England’s biggest game so far.

Prediction: Huge game – it’s turned out to be a quarter final shootout as I thought it could be. My heart says Bangladesh but my head says England. Tough one to pick as this game is reliant on which side handles the occasion better. Bangladesh have not dealt with the big occasion well in the past but that can change today. Hoping for a Bangladesh win.