Five things to know about the England team at the World Twenty20 tournament in Bangladesh.
New era
After lifting the trophy in 2010 under Paul Collingwood’s captaincy, England have failed to make the semi-finals of the subsequent stagings of the World Twenty20.
It will be a very different England squad travelling to Bangladesh this year that will be led by bowler Stuart Broad.
Kevin Pietersen, the player of the 2011 tournament and England’s leading run-scorer in T20, has retired from international cricket and selectors have drafted in up-and-comers Moeen Ali and Stephen Parry.
One of the countries where the T20 format took shape, England has won 31 games and lost 21 from 67 in T20 internationals played so far.
Their record in the World T20: 10 wins, 11 losses and one no-result.
Alex Hales
One of England’s major assets in Bangladesh will be the world’s top-ranked T20 batsman, Hales. He has scored 790 runs in 27 T20 internationals, with a strike rate of almost 133. His strike rate in domestic T20 games goes up to almost 139.
Super subs
England have a definite edge over many of their rivals when it comes to substitute players. Their assistant coach, Paul Collingwood, remains an active first-class cricketer and will be around should there be an emergency.
Collingwood, who still plays for English county side Durham, was nominated as a substitute fielder for the first ODI against the West Indies in Antigua earlier this month because of the unavailability of some members of the squad. Always known to be a good fielder, Collingwood is to have a seven-week stint with the team.
Ian Bell
Test regular Ian Bell was included in the England squad despite not having played a T20 international in more than three years.
Bell, who was not named in the initial 30-man squad, replaced Joe Root, who broke a thumb during a recent tour of the West Indies. Bell last played a T20 against Australia in Melbourne in January 2011.
Doosra concerns
England coach Ashley Giles has gone on record saying the unorthodox doosra spin delivery poses plenty of problems for England batsmen.
The off-spinner’s away-shaping delivery is expected to be deployed liberally in Bangladesh. England may still be coming to terms with the delivery, perfected by the likes of Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal, but they have a player in their own ranks who can bowl it.
All-rounder Moeen Ali has reportedly learnt the art from Ajmal but has been hesitant to use it so far. He may get the chance to test it out during the World T20.
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