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Highlights: Knight ends unbeaten as England edge past Bangladesh
The image of Heather Knight standing in the Canberra rain, as the Ashes series slipped from England’s grasp, remains a potent one.
With her bat fallen to the ground and her shoulders slumped, England’s long-serving captain appeared to embody defeat.
But following that comprehensive 16-0 defeat – which led to her departure as captain after more than eight years – Knight, seven months and a hamstring injury later, delivered an innings of resilience and determination. She proved to her opponents, the press, and perhaps even herself, that it would take far more than that to keep her down for long.
England found themselves in a precarious position at 78-5, chasing 179 to defeat Bangladesh, currently ranked seventh globally. Knight, despite playing her first One-Day International since January, found herself in familiar territory.
“They cannot perform under pressure” has become a recurring narrative for England since their disastrous T20 World Cup group-stage defeat by West Indies last year.
Knight initially scored 15 runs from her first 50 balls, then accelerated to 64 from her subsequent 61.
Liberated from the burdens of captaincy, with a weight lifted from her shoulders, Knight demonstrated remarkable composure amidst the chaos. She underscored why England needs her now more than ever.
There was undoubtedly luck and controversy involved. Knight was initially given out caught behind without scoring, but the third umpire overturned the decision, citing “inconclusive” evidence of a bat-ball connection.
She then successfully reviewed an lbw decision. However, at 13 runs, a pivotal moment occurred when the third umpire intervened once more, ruling that Shorna Akter had grounded the ball while attempting a catch at extra cover. Again, the third umpire deemed the evidence “inconclusive” regarding the legitimacy of the catch.
“Initially, I thought the catch was out,” Knight, who had started walking towards the boundary rope, told BBC Sport.
“But I felt like I deserved a bit of luck after the year I’ve had.
“I just tried to capitalize on it and make the most of it. Sometimes it’s just your day, and you have to make it count and win the game for your team.”
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Nevertheless, England narrowly avoided a significant upset.
Their spinners once again performed exceptionally, claiming 9-116 in 37.4 overs. However, familiar batting frailties resurfaced. The sight of coach Charlotte Edwards celebrating Knight’s third reprieve with emphatic fist pumps in the changing room was notable.
Had England lost, replays of that moment would likely have been widely circulated, given the disparity between the two teams and the challenging situation England faced.
England’s struggles against spin have been well-documented, but their ODI performance had shown promising improvement since the Alana King-dominated Ashes.
This year, they average just under 35 runs per wicket against spin in ODIs, an improvement from 31.19 in 2024 and 25.59 the previous year.
Other key factors include that this match featured the most deliveries of spin bowled in a Women’s World Cup match, and the pitch offered the most turn of any game in the tournament thus far. Batting was challenging, but this is a 50-over World Cup in India, and England will need to adapt swiftly.
Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont were undone by Marufa’s swing, both trapped lbw playing across the line. Nat Sciver-Brunt mistimed a full toss, Sophia Dunkley was given out lbw on a marginal decision, and Emma Lamb – batting outside the top three for the first time in her professional 50-over career – chipped a catch to mid-on.
However, Knight once again led the way. Initially eschewing her favored sweeps, she scratched around. As her confidence grew, she displayed more flair, utilized her feet effectively, and began finding the middle of the bat more consistently.
“We’ll learn a lot from this experience. The conditions were really tough, and they bowled brilliantly,” Knight added.
“I haven’t had a significant amount of time in the middle due to the injury, so I’m still finding my feet.
“But I know playing spin is a strength of mine. I know I have different options depending on the conditions. For me, it was about being precise in choosing which balls to attack and which to defend.
“Once I found that rhythm, I focused on precise footwork and a clear game plan, sweeping on line and using my feet against different bowlers to hit down the ground.”
This time, England overcame the pressure, owing to Knight’s luck and her heroic performance.
Back in the ranks, and back in the runs. No longer the captain, but always a leader.
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‘It was my day’ – Knight reacts after guiding England to victory against Bangladesh
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