He may have reached at least 50 in a remarkable 48% of his one-day international innings, and a century in more than a quarter of them, but after his 140 laid the foundations for England’s vital 137-run World Cup victory against Bangladesh Dawid Malan said he is motivated primarily by insecurity.
“I’m desperate to do well in this format and prove a point that I deserve to be in there,” Malan said. “I feel like every series I’m under pressure. For me to keep silencing people is all I can do.”
At 36 Malan has played only 23 matches in the format, having struggled to elbow his way into what was a settled first-choice top three until concerns over Jason Roy’s form and fitness created an opening in the run‑up to this tournament.
“I’m just hungry, hungry to play and play well, hungry to score runs and win games of cricket,” he said. “I’ve wanted to be part of this team for so long, it’s been impossible to break in with the players that have been so good. So to get your opportunity and try and take it and enjoy it as long as it lasts, it’s all I try and do.”
Malan was supported by half‑centuries from Jonny Bairstow, who scored 52 on his 100th ODI, and Joe Root, who followed his 77 in the humbling defeat against New Zealand last week with 82 off 68 in Dharamsala. “He’s just so consistent,” Malan said of Root. “He set up the partnership brilliantly, and when I wasn’t hitting the ball as well for a little period, he took the initiative and changed the momentum of the game.”
Despite pre-match concerns about the state of the outfield neither side endured any significant injuries, though some of the fielding was a little cautious. “It was pretty bad,” Sam Curran said. “We’re happy to get through the game without any injuries and we don’t have to come back here. The message was just, be careful. And you saw when Bangladesh fielded, they were pretty careful as well.”
England are hoping to receive a new batch of shirts before their next game after being forced to play their two opening fixtures wearing jerseys with different font sizes, the result of a printing error.
