England all-rounder Charlie Dean has emphasized that her side will not underestimate Bangladesh as both teams gear up for their second league-stage clash at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 in Guwahati. With both sides coming off dominant opening victories, England hammering South Africa by 10 wickets and Bangladesh stunning Pakistan by seven wickets, this fixture is set to be an intriguing contest between two in-form units.
Speaking ahead of the match, Dean reflected on England’s thorough preparation leading into the tournament.
“We have come out of a preparation camp from Dubai. We have practiced games in 48 degrees climate conditions. Before the World Cup we got a lot of time to practice, both batters and bowlers. 50-over cricket comes up with challenges in the heat and humidity, and especially Guwahati where it has been hot. So, we have done quite a lot of prep bowling to ace our skills,” she said.
England’s spin department has already made a statement, with Linsey Smith producing a match-winning spell in the opener. The slow left-armer dismissed three of South Africa’s top-order batters, justifying her selection over leg-spinner Sarah Glenn. Dean, a fellow spinner, was full of praise for her teammate.
“She’s brilliant with the new ball, gets a bit of drift in and challenges batters’ defenses just like she did the other day,” Dean said. “We all know how skillful and how good she is sometimes I’m not sure she does- but she’s an exceptional bowler and definitely one to be looking out for.”
Dean, who officially stepped into a leadership role during England’s commanding win against South Africa, spoke about her evolving responsibilities within the team setup.
“Being a bit of a sounding board for Nat is the main role, it doesn’t change too much,” she explained. “Having had a bit more captain’s experience this summer, (we are) trying to create a leadership group that is a bit more official and structured to help complement Nat going into this World Cup.
“She’s got a brilliant cricket brain and leads from the front with how she acts. (I’m) just there to complement and look after bits that hopefully she shouldn’t need to (do), like getting fielders in the right place and bits like that. We don’t want Nat off the pitch but if that were to happen then I’m ready to step up, with a bit of help from Tammy, (Amy) Jones and (Sophia) Dunkley, who are all exceptional leaders in their own right.”
Despite England’s near-perfect performance in their opener, Dean insists the team remains wary of Bangladesh’s potential threats. The Asian side, competing in only their second ODI World Cup, impressed with both bat and ball against Pakistan. Seamer Marufa Akter struck twice in her opening over before Bangladesh’s disciplined spin unit sealed a memorable seven-wicket win.
Dean acknowledged Bangladesh’s bowling depth and the challenge of facing a new pitch. “Marufa with that big in-swing early doors and then a lot of different spin. We’re not taking Bangladesh lightly at all,” she said.
She further highlighted the consistency of Bangladesh’s attack. “We’re taking every game as it comes,” Dean said. “Their bowling attack is ranked number one in terms of the economy that they’ve managed to achieve in the last 18 months. It’s nothing to be sniffed at.”
As England look to build momentum in their World Cup campaign, Dean’s calm leadership and tactical awareness will be crucial. With both teams riding high on confidence, this clash in Guwahati promises to be more than just a group-stage game, it’s a battle between two sides eager to prove their mettle under pressure.
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