Malan hits the gear he knew he had, but others hadn't seen

Dawid Malan nudged Shakib Al Hasan into the covers, wiped the sweat from his brow and acknowledged the ovation for his first World Cup hundred, with the snow-capped Himalayas providing a postcard backdrop.

Jos Buttler had asked his batters to go harder after their nine-wicket loss to New Zealand; Malan responded with 140 off 107 balls, his fastest ODI innings and his highest score.

Malan's innings in Ahmedabad was a false start to his first 50-over World Cup: he was worked over by Matt Henry, battling through a maiden before edging behind for 14 off 24 balls. It extended an underwhelming record at ICC events: across two T20 World Cups, his top score was 41 and his strike rate just 104.24.

But below the mountains of Dharamsala, he was imperious, and thrived on the bounce and carry of a fresh pitch. He survived an early review when replays confirmed Mustafizur Rahman's bouncer hit him on his shoulder, not his bat; he responded by threading him through extra cover, then slog-swept him for a towering six over backward square-leg.

Malan showed his power early on, pulling Mustafizur into the tenth row of seats over midwicket, and then his touch through the middle overs. He seemed to find gaps at ease, as evidenced when reverse-sweeping Shakib for four and deftly steering Shoriful Islam past wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim, while his strike rates against seam (129.54) and spin (131.74) were almost identical.

"I'm over the moon," Malan said. "To be able to score a hundred and say that I've scored a hundred in a World Cup for England is fantastic. And to win the game is great - though, ultimately, if we don't get to the business end [of the tournament], it means nothing. Hopefully I can continue contributing and help winning games."

Even when Malan was in the form of his life in T20Is, England did not see him as part of their long-term plans for this World Cup. "Will a 36- or 37-year-old be able to fulfil the high-intensity standard of a World Cup? That is the question for myself and Dawid," Eoin Morgan said back in 2020, immediately after Malan had reached No. 1 in the ICC's T20I rankings.

When Malan strained his groin during last year's T20 World Cup, ruling him out of the semi-final and final, it looked like a prescient comment. But resilience and persistence are among Malan's best traits: he has forced his way into their starting XI through sheer weight of runs, and at 36, became the oldest man to score a hundred for England at a World Cup.

Last summer, Malan was one of three centurions as England racked up a world-record total of 498 in Amstelveen, but found himself left out of the subsequent home series against India and South Africa as their Test players returned. Malan sought feedback from Rob Key and Matthew Mott, who explained that England saw him primarily as a No. 3.

"I said, 'Look, you're missing out to Joe Root - who is a pretty good player'," Mott explained last year. "I loved his response. He said, 'I do have another gear, but I've always been typecast in that role. And I said, 'Well, if you've got it, show us. I don't want to put any restraints on you because you can definitely evolve as a player'."

Immediately after last year's T20 World Cup, Malan hit 134 against Australia in the first match of a low-key series, securing his spot on their subsequent tours to South Africa and Bangladesh. He scored hundreds on both, hitting 118 in Kimberley and 114 not out in Mirpur - an innings that demonstrated his ability to adapt to slow subcontinent pitches.

The day after he was named in England's World Cup squad, Malan was dropped by Trent Rockets in the Hundred after four low scores and looked scratchy in a T20I series against New Zealand. With Harry Brook looming in the wings, Malan's place appeared to be under threat - then, he rattled off scores of 54, 96 and 124 in the ODI series that followed.

His second child was born the day after the first game of that series, and he admitted that it had contributed to a stressful period for him. But if Malan feels the criticism and scrutiny he has attracted through his international career has been unwarranted, then he has also used it to his advantage: "I'm desperate to prove my point and prove people wrong," he said.

There was some irony that Malan was able to celebrate his maiden World Cup century by embracing Root, who made a fluent 82: only recently considered too pedestrian to bat together, their second-wicket partnership was worth 151 in 117 balls. And after reaching his milestone, Malan crashed four successive boundaries off Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

"There's been a lot of strange narratives around over the last couple of years," Malan said. "The majority of my cricket for England has been T20 cricket. I've always said I can play it like a T20 game if you want me to: just ask me to do it. Rooty is a fantastic player. He will always try to find ways to score and put players under pressure, and when I get in, I try and do that as well."

In Ben Stokes' absence, Malan's ability to bat through to the 38th over was important tactically, too. Bangladesh's gameplan would have been to dismiss him early and give Shakib's left-arm spin a run at the five right-handers in England's top six. Instead, by the time Malan was out, Shakib had bowled his full allocation.

While his ODI career started late, Malan is now a vastly experienced player. Having made his England debut at 29, he has played over 100 internationals across formats, and nearly 500 domestic games around the world to boot. In List A cricket, he has made 171 appearances in total, the sixth-most of anyone in England's squad.

Quietly, Malan's success has been a boon to the status of bilateral cricket. Malan has only once had a central contract but, while others have prioritised franchise leagues, he has consistently made himself available for every England tour. He is a useful example for boards to point to: the best way to prove your worth is still through international runs and wickets.

"I'm just hungry: hungry to play and do well, hungry to score runs and win games of cricket," Malan said. "I've wanted to be part of this team for so long and it's been impossible to break into because the players have been so good. So to get your opportunity and then take it, and to enjoy it as long as it lasts is all that I try to do."

Malan now has six ODI hundreds in 23 innings and an average of 63.15, the third-best in the format's 52-year history. He has long held that 50-over cricket is the format that suits his game best; in Dharamsala, he proved his point.