'Captain no more, but England need Knight more than ever'

The image of Heather Knight opinionated successful nan Canberra rainfall arsenic nan Ashes slipped from England's grasp is 1 that is difficult to forget.

With her bat dropped to nan level and a slump of nan shoulders, England's long-serving skipper looked for illustration she had been defeated.

But 7 months and a hamstring wounded connected from that 16-0 conclusion - 1 that led to her sacking arsenic skipper aft much than 8 years - Knight produced a World Cup innings of grit and determination to beryllium to her opponents, nan media and possibly moreover herself, that it'll return a batch much than that to support her down for long.

England someway recovered themselves 78-5 successful pursuit of 179 to hit Bangladesh, classed seventh successful nan world, and Knight was successful acquainted territory contempt playing her first one-day world since January.

"They cannot do it nether pressure" is nan communicative that has been pursuing England since nan dismal T20 World Cup group-stage conclusion by West Indies this clip past year.

Knight had 15 from her first 50 balls, past made 64 from her adjacent 61. England sewage location by 4 wickets pinch 3.5 overs to spare.

Released from nan shackles of captaincy, a weight lifted from those once-slumped shoulders and wholly calm among nan chaos, Knight showed why England request her much than ever.

There was luck and controversy, nary doubt. On nought, Knight was fixed retired caught down connected nan section but nan 3rd umpire overturned it, saying location "inconclusive" grounds location was nary bat.

She past successfully reviewed an lbw, but connected 13 nan turning constituent came arsenic nan 3rd umpire intervened erstwhile much to norm that Shorna Akter had grounded nan shot while taking a drawback astatine other cover. Again nan 3rd umpire said location was "inconclusive" grounds nan "catch had been taken fairly".

"The catch, I thought it was retired connected first look," Knight, who walked towards nan bound rope, told BBC Sport.

"But I astir apt felt for illustration I deserved a small spot of luck aft this year.

"I conscionable tried to thrust it and make nan astir of it, and sometimes it is conscionable your time and you've sewage to make it count and triumph nan crippled for your team."

Make nary mistake, however, England sewage distant pinch one.

Their spinners were superb again - claiming 9-116 successful 37.4 overs - but acquainted frailties emerged pinch nan bat and nan show of coach Charlotte Edwards laughing and celebrating Knight's 3rd reprieve pinch a double fist pump successful nan changing room was a funny one.

Had England lost, it is apt we would person seen rather a fewer much replays of it, peculiarly considering nan gulf betwixt these 2 teams and nan sticky business that her broadside were in.

England's batting weakness against rotation has been good documented, but successful ODIs they had started to make promising advancement since nan Alana King-dominated Ashes.

They are averaging a fraction nether 35 per wicket against rotation successful nan format this year, an betterment from 31.19 successful 2024 and 25.59 nan twelvemonth before.

Other important factors see that this peculiar crippled saw nan astir deliveries of rotation bowled successful a Women's World Cup match, and nan transportation offered nan astir move of immoderate crippled successful nan tourney truthful far. Batting was difficult, but it is simply a 50-over World Cup successful India - it was ever going to beryllium tough, and England will request to accommodate quickly.

Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont were exposed by Marufa's swing, some trapped lbw playing crossed nan line. Nat Sciver-Brunt miscued a afloat toss, Sophia Dunkley sewage a marginal lbw determination but was trapped connected nan crease and Emma Lamb - batting extracurricular of nan apical 3 for nan first clip successful her master 50-over profession - chipped to mid-on.

But again Knight led nan way, putting her favoured sweeps distant arsenic she scratched astir to statesman with, but pinch assurance came a small much flair, a usage of nan feet and nan shot started to find nan mediate of nan bat.

"We'll study a batch from nan experience. It was really reliable conditions retired location and they bowled brilliantly," Knight said.

"I haven't had a immense magnitude of clip successful nan mediate pinch nan injury, truthful I americium conscionable uncovering my feet.

"But I cognize playing rotation is simply a existent spot of mine, I cognize I've sewage different options based connected nan conditions, and for maine it was astir being really precise connected what shot I was going to onslaught and which I would defend.

"When I did get into that rhythm, I was conscionable really precise pinch my footwork and had a really clear gameplan, trying to expanse connected statement and usage my feet to different bowlers to deed difficult down nan ground."

This time, England did flooded nan pressure, pinch Knight's luck and heroics to thank.

Back successful nan ranks, and backmost successful nan runs. No longer nan captain, but ever a leader.