The Bangladesh bowlers put up a good all-round show on a slow pitch and restricted Australia to just 121/7 in their 20 overs. Chasing a touch more than six runs per over, Bangladesh were in trouble at 67/5 before an unbeaten 66-run stand between Afif Hossain and Nurul Hasan toko them over the line.
After opting to bat first, Australia just couldn’t get going at any stage with the bat. Be it in the powerplay or even through the middle and the final overs of the innings, it was a slug-fest. The Aussies’ run-rate went over six only after the 12th over.
Alex Carey and Josh Phillipe couldn’t force the pace at the top and were dismissed inside the powerplay as Australia reached 32/2 at the end of the six-over mark. Mitchell Marsh and Moises Henriques added 55 runs for the third wicket but took 52 balls for their partnership. And just when they looked all set to take off, both batters were out in the space of two overs.
The middle and the lower middle-order couldn’t blast away at the death either, and Australia could muster a mere 22 runs in the last four overs. They finished their innings with 121/7. It was a slow pitch and the Bangladesh bowlers made full use of it. None of the bowlers went for more than 7.2 runs per over. Mustafizur Rahman picked up two wickets while Shoriful Islam took two.
In reply, Bangladesh lost Soumya Sarkar and Mohammad Naim early and were 21/2 as Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood struck in their respective second overs. However, the experienced Shakib Al Hasan combined with Mahedi Hasan to calm the nerves in the Bangladesh camp. They shared a 35-run stand for the third wicket before a flurry of wickets put the pressure back on Bangladesh.
Shakib, Mahedi and Mahmudullah were dismissed in the space of four overs where Bangladesh only added nine runs for those three wickets. With 65 runs still to get in 8.4 overs, Australia would’ve fancied their chances of bowling Bangladesh out or restricting them. However, Afif Hossain and Nurul Hasan batted very smartly to take Bangladesh over the line. Afif remained unbeaten on 37 while Nurul made 22 not out and the duo shared an unbeaten 66-run stand which came 44 balls.
Brief Scores
Australia 121/7 (Marsh 45, Moises Henriques 30, Mustafizur 3/23, Shoriful 2/27)
Bangladesh 123/5 (Afif 37*, Shakib 26, Agar 1/17, Hazlewood 1/21) by five wickets
