England have succumbed to a third successive defeat at the hands of Bangladesh, losing by 16 runs to suffer a whitewash T20 series loss.
After losing the second fixture on Sunday, Jos Buttler defended the squad selection, insisting that it was valuable experience from a batting perspective ahead of the 50-over World Cup on the sub-continent later in the year.
However, England struggled in both innings on Tuesday, initially allowing Bangladesh to compile 158-2 from their 20 overs despite winning the toss.
The home side put on 55 in 7.3 overs for the opening wicket before Rony Talukdar departed for 24, but it allowed the in-form Najmul Hossain Shanto to join the free-flowing Litton Das at the crease.
Another 84 runs were added in 57 balls, Das hitting 10 fours and a six during a 57-ball knock of 73, while Shanto made an unbeaten 47 from 36 deliveries at the other end.
Only Adil Rashid and Chris Jordan picked up wickets for England, Jofra Archer going for 33 runs off his four overs despite a recent strong run of form.
Defeat in Mirpur.#EnglandCricket | #BANGvENG pic.twitter.com/z5HN7kzzVu
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 14, 2023
England would have felt that a target of 159 was well within their reach, even when they lost Phil Salt for a first-ball duck, and Dawid Malan and Buttler put on 95 runs from 77 balls for the second wicket.
The pair then fell in successive deliveries, Malan making 53 and Buttler 40, and although Ben Duckett (11) and Moeen Ali (9) batted at a pace which kept England in the match, the acceleration was not there during the final three overs.
Even with Chris Woakes hitting 13 runs from 10 balls, England fell well short, and it leaves Buttler and the selectors with much pondering to do ahead of the rest of the year.
Darren Plant
