Star batsman Dawid Malan has become the oldest England player to score a Cricket World Cup century after his explosive knock againstBangladesh.
Malan, at the age of 36 years and 37 days, struck five sixes and 16 fours in his knock of 140 off 107 deliveries as England put up 364 for 9 in 50 overs, their third-highest total in a 50-over World Cup.
The record for being the oldest centurion in a World Cup among England cricketers previously belonged to former captain Graham Gooch, who scored a World Cup hundred at the age of 34 years and 105 days during the 1987 edition of the marquee tournament.
The next batsmen in this elite list are former skippers Andrew Strauss (33 years, 362 days) and Eoin Morgan (32 years, 281 days).
Bangladesh on Tuesday won the toss and asked England to bat in Dharamshala. Malan, who opened England’s innings with Jonny Bairstow, also became the third batsman from his country to score a World Cup century on Indian soil, after Gooch and Andrew Strauss.
Gooch achieved the feat during the Cricket World Cup in 1987 where he scored a 136-ball 115 against the home side at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Strauss, meanwhile, notched up his century (158 runs) during the 2011 tournament in Bengaluru in the famous tied game against MS Dhoni-led India.
Root and Malan celebrated the latter’s stunning century— (AFP via Getty Images)
Dawid Malan scores century against Bangladesh— (REUTERS)
Speaking of Malan’s knock on Tuesday, the English batsman took 91 balls to reach the 100-run mark, hitting two sixes and 12 boundaries at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium. Malan was also the defending champions’ first centurion in the ongoing World Cup.
Malan, who got to his hundred in the 32nd over of England’s innings, put up 115 runs for the opening wicket with Bairstow. The wicketkeeper-batsman chipped in with 52 runs to the said partnership. Following Bairstow’s departure, Malan stitched a solid stand with Joe Root as the duo shared a second-wicket stand of 151 runs.
Bangladesh have lost three wickets for 26 runs after six overs in their chase of 365.
While the Bangla Tigers won their opening fixture of this World Cup, England started their title defense with a nine-wicket loss to New Zealand.
