Bangladesh v England, 1st ODI, Dhaka - Preview

An opportunity to win a seventh consecutive bilateral series victory awaits Bangladesh as it prepares to take on England in the opening One-Day International of a three-match series in Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Friday (October 7).

Jos Buttler will be captaining England for the first time in ODIs after Eoin Morgan, the regular captain, decided not to go on the tour in the wake of security concerns. Buttler, however, made it clear that since the player had arrived last weekend, the focus has been on cricket and nothing else.

Buttler, who hit an unbeaten 80 in England's only warm-up, said his team would start as "underdogs" against a side which has won home ODI series against India, New Zealand and Pakistan in the last few years. "They are very strong at home in their own conditions," he said.

With Alex Hales also staying home on security grounds and Joe Root being rested for the ODIs, Buttler indicated that James Vince and Ben Duckett would be in the starting XI.

England was beaten by Bangladesh in Adelaide during last year's World Cup, but it has improved dramatically since and recently broke the record for the highest ODI score by putting up 444 against Pakistan.

Mashrafe Mortaza, the Bangladesh captain, said England was now a very different proposition from the team it defeated in Adelaide. "If you look at the makeover of England team, I think we are going to play one of the best teams in the world," he said. "Since the World Cup, they've played like champions."

Bangladesh has recalled Al-Amin Hossain, the paceman, in its 14-man squad after he was left out for the recent home series against Afghanistan. Mosharraf Hossain, the left-arm spinner who played his first ODI in more than eight years against Afghanistan last Saturday, has been retained for the England ODIs.

Meanwhile, Alastair Cook is expected to fly out later to take charge of the team for two Test matches that follow the three ODIs, the last of which is being held in the port city of Chittagong.

Squads

**Bangladesh:**Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahmudullah Riyad, Nasir Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Mosharraf Hossain, Al-Amin Hossain, Taskin Ahmed.

**England:**Jos Buttler (capt, wk), Jason Roy, James Vince, Liam Plunkett, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Ben Duckett, Steven Finn, Adil Rashid, Jake Ball, David Willey, Liam Dawson.