10 October - Dharamsala - England player Dawid Malan post-match press conference
[Reporter:]
You set the tone for a really big win for your country, must be pleased.
[Dawid Malan:]
Yeah, over the moon. It's nice to get runs at the start of the World Cup as well and get in to the tournament. To do it in a nice win that probably puts us a little bit better in our net run rate and help towards that is a great feeling.
[Reporter:]
The guys after the game earlier in the week were saying confidence remains, no damage to it by that result, but you’re the who’s got to go out there and prove it. It must be more difficult to walk that walk than talk it?
[Dawid Malan:]
Yeah, I think we were just totally outplayed in the last game. If you dwell on something like that too much, I think you can start overthinking it. But this team has always bounced back and been more and more aggressive when we're under pressure. It's one of the traits that has been so successful for the team and the challenge to us was to keep being aggressive, even though we were under pressure. Thankfully, we did that with the bat and the ball tonight.
[Reporter:]
And just a bit on your ability to get those three-figure scores, your conversion rate is incredible, really, for the number of games you've played. What's the secret?
[Dawid Malan:]
Just hungry, hungry to play and to do well, hungry to score runs and win games of cricket. I've wanted to be part of this team for so long, it's been impossible to break into with the players that have been so good. So, to get your opportunity and try and take it and, you know, enjoy it as long as it lasts, you know, is all that I try and do.
[Reporter:]
Can I take you back to Australia last year? I can't remember what the injury was, was it a groin strain? And you missed out on the business end of the tournament and had done in ‘19 as well. I think you got injured in Malahide, didn't you? Did you think that these moments might have gone at that stage?
[Dawid Malan:]
Yeah, definitely. You know, I hadn't been part of that 50-over squad. Really, I played the odd game with scheduling, when [Joe] Root wasn't available and Jonny [Bairstow] and so on. So, I didn't really think that I was going to be part of it. So, to get a few more opportunities and to play myself into this team has been great, especially after missing that last one. I don't really think I was in the running in 2019, even though I played the game at Malahide before. But yeah, to miss out on that World Cup last year was, pretty much one of the worst things ever, on that Final, but, great to win it. But hopefully this one I can stay fit and we can play some good cricket and get us towards that business end.
[Reporter:]
Does it feel that you're always having to prove people wrong?
[Dawid Malan:]
Well, that's another headline if I say yes. I feel like every series I'm under pressure so you know for me to keep silencing people is all I can do. You know, if I can score as many runs as I can and help contribute to wins, then hopefully, eventually people's opinions might change.
[Reporter:]
This was your second hundred against Bangladesh this year. Tell us about your experience against Bangladesh, might help you today as well.
[Dawid Malan:]
Yeah, I've been fortunate to play in a few Bangladesh Premier Leagues, to be able to play against these guys quite a lot and in different conditions as well and some good wickets in Chittagong and some sort of, I'd say, iffy wickets sometimes down at in Dhaka. So, you learn different ways of playing against the same opposition. I thought the one I had in the beginning of the year was probably the best one I've had in those conditions. And then to get them on a much flatter wicket, I was able to cash in as well. So, yeah, I think the more you play against opposition, the more they learn about you, the more plans they have. But also, the experience that you have against them puts you in good stead of a sure day as well.
[Reporter:]
You've got an Ashes century in the past. You've got hundreds in T20, hundreds in ODIs. Given everything you've said and the pressure after last week, how does today compare… getting 100 in a World Cup?
[Dawid Malan:]
Yeah, brilliant. I think it's everyone's dream to play in the Ashes and in a World Cup and, and especially to do well in the World Cup and if your team does well, so to be able to score a hundred and say that I've been able to score a hundred in a World Cup game for England is fantastic. And to win the game is great, but ultimately, if we don't get to the business end, then it means for nothing. So, hopefully, I can keep continuing contributing and we can win games of cricket and get there in the end.
[Reporter:]
Can you tell us a little about the challenge of playing in this World Cup? There's obviously long breaks between games and lots of travel. How hard is that to adapt to?
[Dawid Malan:]
Yeah, it's different. We're not very used to it. I think all our bilateral series have been sort of three games in five or six days over the last couple of years. So, this is a challenge. I actually said to Marcus this morning when I was hitting balls, I said, it feels a little bit like a holiday, like you've had four days, five days off, which we're not used to doing. But it gives you time to keep working on your game and keep doing the basics well, because usually you don't really have time to train. So, I guess that puts us in a good position to keep working on our games in between, which as I said, we don't usually have that opportunity to do.
[Reporter:]
And also, just a word on Joe Root today. He became England's all-time leading run scorer in World Cups.
[Dawid Malan:]
Yeah, he's fantastic. He just never stops doing it, does he? He's just so consistent. He's got such a good method of doing it. You know, and I'm really pleased he's done that. You know, even today he came and he changed the gears at certain times. You know, he set up the partnership brilliantly. And when I wasn't hitting the ball as well for a little period, he took the initiative on and changed the momentum of the game as well. But you know, you can't replace someone as good as that. So hopefully he can play for England for many more years.
[Reporter:]
David, in the last World Cup cycle, we saw a lot of really massive high scoring games. Do you think 50 over cricket has changed a little bit more recently in the last couple of years and that maybe having a bit more nuance about riding the rhythms within ODI cricket has become more important and that maybe that suits you too.
[Dawid Malan:]
Yeah, maybe I think these white balls are behaving slightly differently over the last two or three years. I think they do a lot more early on. You know, so there you've got the tendency of losing a few wickets early. So, I guess if you're a bit more watchful early and then, you know, take your opportunity when it comes to put the pressure on that helps as well. But yeah, I don't know, maybe. We have such a strong batting lineup that everyone's got so much power that you always feel like there's someone that can come in and whack it if things don't go well.
But under Jos, one of the things has always been ‘play the conditions in front of you’ and if it's a 300 wicket, play accordingly. If it's a 400 wicket, play accordingly. Obviously, don't put any limitations on what we can do. Always keep pushing the boundaries, but play what's in front of you. And I think, you know, a lot of teams are starting to do that better as well, plus have that attacking intent from what England have done for the last few years.
[Reporter:]
Yeah, I just wondered, quite often people talk about being able to cope with the pressures of what's going on in the field with their life off the field. I just wonder whether fatherhood had a positive impact on you at all and made you kind of find it easier to not worry about proving people wrong and things like that?
[Dawid Malan:]
It has helped in a lot of ways. It gets me away from cricket a lot more. You know, I guess I'm probably a bit of an overthinker sometimes, so to have other things distract me is quite good. But yeah, fatherhood's brilliant. I mean, I never thought I'd be one and to have two little kids has been fantastic. But yeah, I guess, you know, when you are under pressure, it probably puts things into perspective a little bit that you, you know, what's the worst that can happen? You get dropped and you don't get picked and what have you and you just go home to your family and, you live your life. So, yeah, I guess it puts things in perspective slightly.
[Reporter:]
And just a word on the bowling as well. The way that Reece Topley, for example, kind of led the attack and you got the job done in the field. What's your kind of perspective as the batter letting them get on with the bowling?
[Dawid Malan:]
Yeah, I thought they were brilliant. We spoke about the lengths we want to bowl. As I said earlier, these white balls do offer a little bit early on, and Topper's bowled a fantastic line and length and put them under pressure straight away. And when you're trying to bowl teams out, getting wickets in that powerplay is so important, putting them under pressure and being able to take wickets through the middle. And I thought we did that exceptionally well throughout the day. So, all credit to the boys tonight to have been able to do that on that wicket over there.
[Reporter:]
Do you think Bangladesh made a mistake reading the pitch choosing to field first?
[Dawid Malan:]
No, I think we were going to bowl as well. It rained overnight and I guess that probably persuaded both captains to want to bowl. I guess playing in India during day games, I guess it probably gets slower during the day, especially when it's a hot day. There was no dew tonight, which, you know, usually makes the toss so important when you play day-night games. So, the day game, I guess it played into our favour that, you know, it got slower and slower and we were able to get partnerships. But, you know, if they got wickets early, it might have been totally different.
[Reporter:]
There's always been the thing of you and Joe, you've normally come in as his replacement. So, I guess to, I think you put on 150, you showed that you can bat together and you kind of complemented each other really well out there?
[Dawid Malan:]
Yeah, there’s been a lot of strange narratives around over the last couple of years, but yeah, the majority of my cricket played for England has been T20 cricket and I've always said, I can play it like a T20 game if you want me to and just ask me to do what you need me to do and I'll do it. And, if I can be successful, I can be successful. But, you know, it just proves [Joe] Root, is a fantastic player. He'll always find a way to score and put players under pressure. And, if I get in, I try and do that as well. And thankfully, it has come off so far. And hopefully we can keep putting on some partnerships in the next couple of games.
