Image source, Getty Images
- author, Sam Drury
- role, BBC Sports Reporter
-
T20 World Cup, Super 8, Antigua
Bangladesh 140-8 (20 overs): Shunt 41 (36); Cummins 3-29
Australia 100-2 (11.2 overs): Warner 53* (35); Rishad 2-23
Australia wins by 28 runs (DLS)
Pat Cummins took a hat-trick as Australia beat Bangladesh by 28 runs in a Duckworth-Lewis-Stern match to start the Super 8 campaign on a winning note and maintain their 100 per cent winning record in the T20 World Cup.
Australia had restricted Bangladesh to 140-8 before David Warner’s 53 off 35 balls took them to 100-2, but rain forced an early end to the match in Antigua.
Cummins became just the second player to take a hat-trick for Australia in a T20 World Cup after Brett Lee did so against Bangladesh in 2007.
The Australian Test captain dismissed Mahmudullah and Mahedi Hasan at the end of the 18th over, before having Tohid Hridoy caught off the first ball of the 20th over.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored with 41 but was beaten by Adam Zampa, who again impressed with 2-24, while Hridoy scored 40 off 28 balls to boost the Tigers’ tally.
However, their run was nowhere near a competitive total and Australia’s openers quickly halted their chase with a stand of 65.
Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain gave Bangladesh hope with two quick wickets after a brief rain interruption, but Warner extinguished those hopes before further downpour brought the match to a close.
Australian clinical trials are progressing smoothly
From the moment Mitchell Starc got Tanjid Hasan out off the third ball of the match, Australia were in control at North Sound.
With this wicket, Starc surpassed Rashid Malinga to become the record holder for most wickets (95) in the Men’s T20 and 50-over World Cups.
Bangladesh’s weak batting line-up was no match for the high-caliber and experienced Australian attacking line-up.
Shanto and Litton Das put on 58 for the second wicket but even then there was always confidence in Mitchell Marsh’s team.
Once Zampa came on and broke up the partnership, they grew in confidence and continued to attack gradually for the rest of Bangladesh’s innings.
Cummins ensured the Tigers would not have a big finish as Mahmudullah hooked a short ball for a stomp before Mahedi Hasan guided the next ball into the deep third.
Hridoy then picked up the first ball of Cummins’ next over to Josh Hazlewood at short fine leg to complete his seventh hat-trick in the Men’s T20 World Cup.
Australia had started to catch up thanks to efforts from Warner and Travis Head, but a double strike from Rishadh after a rain-related interruption temporarily slowed the pace.
But Warner, who was dismissed for five, quickly got the 2021 champions back on track by completing his fifty with six before the rain began to fall again.
Australia sits at the top of Group 1, tied with India on two points, and will next face Afghanistan on Sunday (1.30am BST).
Bangladesh will take on India on Saturday (15:30 BST).
“Great to join the club” – Reactions
Australian bowler Pat Cummins: “I saw it on the screen at the end of the over and I’d completely forgotten about it. [the hat-trick].
“I’ve been there a few times in junior cricket but this is the first time I’ve done it representing Australia so it’s really great to be involved with the club.”
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh: “It was a really good bowling performance, everyone gave it their all.
“We have always said that we have 15 players who can take us to the top in this World Cup and we will select our team depending on the conditions.”
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto: “I thought the wicket was very good. It was a bit slow but I think we could have scored at least 170.”
“Against a team like this you have to take risks. We didn’t execute, but today we tried something different.”