England kicked off their World Cup journey with a victory over Bangladesh, largely thanks to the left-arm spinner Linsey Smith, who claimed two wickets and executed a run-out in her first World Cup appearance since November 2018.

Jon Lewis's decision to reinstate Smith into the England squad earlier this year was based on his conviction that her powerplay bowling is among the best globally. Smith lived up to this expectation, finishing with figures of two for 11 from her four overs and aiding in restricting Bangladesh to a 20-run power play—a sluggish start from which they could not recover.

England's final margin of victory was a comfortable 21 runs, despite a mid-game wobble that resulted in a below-par total of 116 for seven. The newlywed Danni Wyatt-Hodge, playing under her married name for the first time after her June wedding, scored 41 but was stumped in the 13th over during a challenging period for her team.

Wyatt-Hodge commented, "Conditions are quite tough, and it's going to be a challenging tournament, but I'm pleased to have contributed tonight. There were probably a few nerves, but we played smart cricket and ran well."

England began with a 47-run power play but lost five wickets for 37 runs in the final nine overs as Bangladesh's spinners exploited the favorable conditions in Sharjah. However, England's reliance on a spin-heavy strategy, first employed against New Zealand in July, paid off as their four front-line slow bowlers collectively claimed five of the seven Bangladeshi wickets.

Smith was a last-minute inclusion in the XI, after Lewis and captain Heather Knight observed Thursday's opening games in Sharjah and decided that a fourth spin option would be more beneficial on the slow, low wicket than the seamer Lauren Bell. Smith's performance justified this decision: she dismissed opener Shathi Rani and returned to remove Taj Nehar, while her crucial fielding contribution saw her run out Bangladesh's captain, Nigar Sultana.

Wyatt-Hodge praised Smith's performance as "outstanding" and added, "I told her before the game, 'You're going to be a handful on this pitch,' because she's quick and low, and doesn't get much bounce. She truly deserved her chance tonight."

Sobhana Mostary's 48-ball 44, including a six off Charlie Dean, was a notable effort given the Sharjah boundary sizes, but her innings ended in the penultimate over, trapped leg-before as Bangladesh fell short. Earlier, Bangladesh's leg-spinner Fahima Khatun had two opportunities to showcase her signature dance celebration, dismissing Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey.

Sophie Ecclestone's customary six off her first ball was a highlight, but Knight acknowledged that England had aimed for a total closer to 130. "If we face this pitch again, we'll need to work hard for runs," she said. England's next match is against South Africa on Monday, who, fresh from a 10-wicket win over West Indies, are expected to pose a tougher challenge.