Saifuddin in doubt for Australia match

Despite almost a week gone past after the controversial timed out decision of Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Matthews against Bangladesh at Delhi, the war of words still continue over social media platforms.

After expressing anger and dissatisfaction over Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan's dignity and sportsmanship during the post-match press conference following the three-wicket loss, Matthews continued to slam the decision on social media.

Ahead of Bangladesh's game against Australia in Pune on Friday Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha was aksed whether he wants to express his opinion on the timed-out saga. The Sri Lankan said that such a decision should be taken by the umpire rather than the players to avoid controversy.

"I don't think it's going to stop here, whatever I say. Only thing I can say here is it's one of the modes of dismissal. It was an addition, a recent one into the conditions of play. I think it's the sixth edition or the fifth edition of playing conditions.

"And my only thing is to keep all this, I don't know whether this is going to stop, but I think my suggestion is to leave it to the umpires to decide. If you read the law, it says timed out. I don't think it should be left to the players to appeal and all that. Everybody has a different opinion regarding both sides. So that's all I can say at the moment," said Hathurusingha.

It will be interesting to see whether the war of words would eventually come to an end over the historical timed out incident but the rivalry between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will reach a new level whenever the two sides face each other next.

British Prime Minister Theresa May hosted the World Cup-winning England cricket team in the garden of her Downing Street residence on Monday, describing their win as "one of the great sporting spectacles of our time".

England ended their 44-year wait for a first 50-overs world title by beating New Zealand in a nailbiting final Super Over on Sunday.

May, a keen cricket fan, was at the match and, after the win, posted a video clip on Twitter of herself dancing.

The prime minister, who is due to stand down next week, greeted the players in front of her residence and posed for pictures with the team and the trophy.

"When the odds were against you in the biggest game of your lives, you simply and stubbornly refused to lose. It is that determination, that character, that has made you world champions. But, more than that, you have made history," May told the players during the drinks reception, according to remarks released by her office.

"You have helped the nation fall in love with cricket once again," she said, adding that the match was "a final for the ages".

Since being unceremoniously dumped out of the 2015 edition of the tournament in Australia, the England side have reinvented themselves as one-day cricket specialists and had headed into the World Cup as overwhelming favourites.

The match, which England won by the thinnest of margins after a tie-break Super Over, was watched by more than 8 million people in Britain.

England batter Joe Root is banking on his team using the lessons they learnt in 2019 when they try to defend their ICC Men's Cricket World Cup title in India later this year.

Root was part of the victorious England side that lifted their inaugural World Cup trophy at home four years ago and they get the chance to become just the third team to claim back-to-back titles when they travel to the sub-continent for this year's 50-over showcase.

The memories of a thrilling Super Over clash in the World Cup Final at Lord's in 2019 are still fresh in Root's mind, and the star right-hander is hoping he will be able to emulate that victory in India in November.

"Having the experience of 2019 and how good that was and how much that meant to the group and for them to go out and get the opportunity to defend it is something we are relishing and really looking forward to," Root said.

"We are going to have to play some really good cricket, we are going to have to adapt to different conditions and have that consistency that you need so we will see how we go."

England are one of the teams that have already named a preliminary squad for the six-week tournament and the defending champions revealed a few surprises in their initial group by leaving out young batter Harry Brook and including uncapped pacer Gus Atkinson.

Root has confidence in the squad chosen to get the job done for England during the World Cup and knows his team must play their best cricket at the pointy end of the tournament.

"It is very exciting to play in a World Cup event is something that you always look forward to as a player," Root said.

"Big tournaments and big moments is where you want to go out and perform and impress and deliver for your country.

"You have to get to those last two games - the semi-final and the final - and it is about turning up and putting in the performance when it really counts."

And unsurprisingly Root nominated a pair of his teammates as the most likely players to be the leading run scorer and wicket-taker at the eagerly-awaited event that commences on October 5.

"I am going to go for Jonny Bairstow (to be the leading run scorer)," Root suggested.

"He is someone that always has a point to prove, he is a wonderful white-ball player and he has been so consistent for us at the top of the order."

Root expects conditions teams will face in India will suit the slower bowlers and believes Adil Rashid can thrive by being the leading wicket-taker.

"He (Rashid) has so many different skills and variations to call upon," Root added.

"We know how important it is to take wickets in the middle overs...he has done a wonderful job for us for a long time and I anticipate him being very difficult on these wickets."

Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana Joty won the toss and opted to bat first against Australia in the second of the three-match ODI series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday.

The Tigresses lost the first match by 118 runs on Thursday and need to win this contest to stay alive in the series.

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Fahima intends to rely on strength to stifle Aussies

Both sides remained unchanged from the first ODI. 

Bangladesh: Fargana Hoque, Sobhana Mostary, Murshida Khatun, Nigar Sultana Joty (c)†, Nahida Akter, Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Rabeya Khan, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Sultana Khatun 

Australia: Alyssa Healy (c)†, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Megan Schutt