Getty Bangladesh's cricketers pose with the series' trophy at the end of the fifth and final Twenty20 international cricket match between Bangladesh and New Zealand at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on September 10, 2021. (Photo by Munir Uz zaman / AFP) (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Scotland have found form at just the right time ahead of the 2021 ICC T20 Men’s World Cup. The Scots have beaten Namibia and the Netherlands in warm-up matches and have one of the rising stars of the tournament, opening batter George Munsey. Sunday’s opponents Bangladesh are out of sorts, but Mustafizur Rahman leads a talented array of bowlers who could make the difference. Qualification for the Super 12 group stage is at stake, so both sides are targeting a strong start in Group B, where co-hosts Oman and Papua New Guinea also reside.
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In the United States, the match (10 a.m. ET start time) isn’t on TV, but anyone in the US can watch Bangladesh vs Scotland live on ESPN+ right here:
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You can also watch on your computer via ESPN.com.
Bangladesh vs Scotland Preview
Rahman will lead a strong attack with the ball for the Tigers. He’s a crafty lefty who can vary the pace of his deliveries between medium and fast. Bangladesh will need Rahman to keep Munsey guessing because the latter has emerged as a dynamic opener in front of the wicket. The 28-year-old is developing a niche as a left-hander who can sweep shots beyond the boundaries. Munsey can also nullify spin thanks to a range of deft switch hitting. He’s Scotland’s main weapon and best hope of making the most of the Powerplay.
Like his team, Munsey is entering this game with plenty of momentum. Specifically, he hit 67 off just 41 balls during a warm-up win over Namibia on Thursday. Munsey also punished Papua New Guinea with a stylish half century during a T20 one-off earlier this month:
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All the boundaries from @GeorgeMunsey‘s 50 against PNG on Friday 💥
The Tigers best hope of matching what Scotland can do with the bat will come from Mohammad Naim and Liton Das. They have formed a prolific opening pair, although they struggled during warm-up defeats against Ireland and Sri Lanka, combining for just 31 runs off 40 balls. Those sluggish showings represented an anomaly, though, because Naim and Das are complementary big hitters who usually get things started the right way.
There’s depth in this order, thanks to Soumya Sarkar, who is another slogger capable of amassing boundaries in bunches. The powerful left-hander is entering the competition in better form, while skipper Mahmudullah can produce game-breaking shots late in the order. He’s leading a seasoned squad that includes all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and dependable batter Mushfiqur Rahim, both 34.
Experience will be a key factor for a group adept at thriving in this format. The Tigers beat both New Zealand and Australia in T20Is this year. Things haven’t run as smoothly in this tournament, though. Bangladesh lost all three games in the Super 10 phase five years ago, coming up short against Australia, India and finally New Zealand.
Just getting into the group stage is the Tigers’ main aim this time. Scotland can thwart that ambition if an underrated bowling attack clicks. The key man is Chris Greaves, an intelligent legspinner who can send spin at the wicket from either side. Greaves showcased his deft range of skills by taking a quartet of wickets to help beat the Netherlands by 32 runs. Mark Watt is another spin bowler who can wreck the Bangladesh batting order.
Experience is on the Tigers’ side, but the Scots have some true match-winners in key areas who can push coach Shane Burger’s team closer to qualification.