England eye Bangladesh scalp to build momentum

England and Bangladesh head into their second match of the Women's World Cup 2025 in Guwahati eager to build on the momentum from convincing opening wins. England flexed their world-class depth in a one-sided outing against South Africa, while Bangladesh showcased discipline and growing self-belief in their takedown of Pakistan. One comes armed with pedigree and power, the other with ambition and purpose, setting up an engaging contest.

England, the four-time champions, couldn't have asked for a more emphatic start, dismantling South Africa for just 69 before cruising to a 10-wicket win in 14.1 overs. Their clinical performance underlined not just their experience but also their ruthless efficiency with both ball and bat.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, began their campaign with a similarly crushing win over Pakistan, showcasing a template that has served them well in recent years - disciplined bowling backed by smart, risk-free batting. Restricting Pakistan to 129 and chasing it down in 31.1 overs with seven wickets in hand, Nigar Sultana's side signalled their intent to compete on equal footing with higher-ranked teams. Their spin department remains their key asset, particularly in subcontinental conditions, and they'll be looking to make full use of that.

While England will start as overwhelming favourites, Bangladesh have proven that they aren't pushovers. Their growing confidence and ability to build pressure through consistency could make this a closer game than expected. The key question is whether Bangladesh's batters can hold their own against England's bowling attack, which ripped through South Africa with precision and control. Conversely, England's batters may find Bangladesh's disciplined attack a tougher test than what they faced in their opener.

When: Tuesday, October 7, 2025 at 3:00 PM IST

Where: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati

What to Expect: This will be the third match of the competition to be played at this venue. While the surface is expected to aid the slower bowlers, batters who show discipline and application can still make runs here. India's middle order demonstrated that with a total of 269 against Sri Lanka, while South Africa's struggles in the next game were a reminder of what happens when that patience goes missing.

Head to head: England faced Bangladesh only once before in a 50-over game - in Wellington in the 2022 World Cup, which they won by 100 runs.

Team news:

England: Nat Sciver-Brunt's team are unlikely to change the winning combination from the first game.

Probable XI: Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb, Alice Capsey, Charlotte Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell

Bangladesh: After an excellent start to their campaign, Bangladesh will also see no reason to change their eleven.

Probable XI: Fargana Hoque, Rubya Haider, Sharmin Akhter, Nigar Sultana (c & wk), Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Nahida Akter, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Nishita Akter Nishi

Did you know?

- Nat-Sciver Brunt is one of the four batters with four World Cup hundreds, the most, alongside Suzie Bates, Janette Brittin and Charlotte Edwards. She needs another 10 runs to go past Claire Taylor's 4101 ODI runs to break into top 3 leading run-scorers for England.

- Since January 2024, Sophie Ecclestone has bagged 35 wickets at an average of 14.97 and a strike rate of 25.4, with an economy of 3.52. She is the second highest wicket-taker after Deepti Sharma in this period.