Clinical Bangladesh seal historic ODI series win over Australia

Australia slumped to their worst-ever start to an ODI before Bangladesh romped to a historic series victory over the reigning world champions on Thursday night.

Australia lost their first three wickets without registering a run and despite the recovery efforts of Marnus Labuschagne and Xavier Bartlett, the Tigers cruised to their revised target of 192 with five wickets and 36 balls to spare in the second ODI in Dhaka.

Having recorded just their second one-day win over Australia in the series opener two days ago, Bangladesh wasted little time in adding a third to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

It's Bangladesh's first men's ODI series win over Australia with the latter having won the previous four bilateral contests 3-0.

It means the subcontinent nation have won their past two series against Australia following their 4-1 T20 victory at home in 2021 during the Covid-era and they'll have a chance to extend that streak when the two teams meet again in shortest format next week.

Now with four straight ODI series wins since October (all at home) after beating West Indies, Pakistan and New Zealand, Bangladesh again showed why they are the 50-over format's form side after stand-in Aussie skipper Josh Inglis won the toss and choose to bat at Shere Bangla National Stadium on Thursday.

Fifties to Labuschagne and Bartlett saw the visitors limp to 8-187 when heavy rain ended their innings after 42 overs, but the bulk of the damage was done in the first two overs of the match.

Australia were 3-0 for the first time ever in men's 50-over internationals with Matt Short, Cooper Connolly and Matt Renshaw back in the sheds.

Short was bowled shouldering arms to Taskin Ahmed (3-33) fourth ball of the match for his third straight duck after also failing to score in the first ODI and the series decider in Pakistan last week.

With Alex Carey having been dismissed first ball in the preceding second ODI against Pakistan, it was the fourth time in a row Australia's opening pair was unable to get the side off the mark before the partnership was broken.

But this time it got worse for Australia when Connolly departed for a golden duck off first ball of the second over as he feathered an edge behind off left-armer Mustafizur Rahman (3-27).

Renshaw, promoted to No.4 with Labuschagne dropping down the order, then went the same way as his fellow left-hander five balls later with keeper Litton Das collecting his second catch, leaving Australia 3-0 at the end of the second over.

Never before had the six-time World Cup champions been in such early trouble in men's 50-over cricket and they became just the fourth team, and first in 23 years, to lose their first three wickets without scoring in an ODI.

The closest they had previously come to the unwanted feat, as detailed by renowned statistician Lawrie Colliver, was 2-0 that became 3-6 against Pakistan in Lahore in 2022, while their previous worst three-down total was 3-5 against South Africa in Cape Town 2006, which came earlier in the same series that their then-record 4-434 was chased down by the Proteas.

Ironically, Australia's first run on Thursday came courtesy of a no-ball rather than off the bat when Taskin overstepped in his second over.

Inglis eventually got the innings rolling with a brace of boundaries in the right-armer's following over as he and Carey (13) took the score to 25 before the fourth wicket went down when the latter picked out the point fielder off Mustafizur.

Inglis hit two further fours and a remarkable back foot punch for six off Nahid Rana in a free-flowing 34 from 38 balls but threw away his promising start when he sliced a lofted drive to deep cover after advancing down to left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam (2-45).

"Anytime you lose three wickets that early, it's tough to come back from," the Australian captain said at the post-match presentation.

"The partnership between Marnus and Xavier got us to a total that … gave us something to bowl at. We tried hard out there, but that partnership at the end with (Tawhid Hridoy and Mehidy Hasan Miraz), I thought they played really well.

"Bangladesh have outplayed us in this series, so congratulations to them."

Cameron Green (25 off 50) cautiously tried to build Australia a platform, but they still weren't out of the woods when he spooned a catch back to the bowler to hand Tanvir his second wicket and leave the visitors 6-81.

It left the out-of-sorts Labuschagne as the last recognised batter, but he found an ally in paceman Bartlett (52 off 48), who proved the aggressor in their fighting stand with a pair of towering sixes over midwicket from the pace of Taskin and then the spin of Mehidy.

His maiden international half-century ended with the score on 184 as he attempted to launch a third six, with Taskin castling his stumps with a rare reverse swinging delivery that also proved too good for Adam Zampa when Bangladeshi quick replicated it the very next ball.

Though wicketless through his nine overs, express quick Rana (0-45) still made his presence felt with a couple of body blows on Labuschagne, who fought his way to his first ODI half-century since September 2024.

Having reached double figures for only the second time in his past seven ODI innings, Labuschagne's move to No.7 this match shielded him from the new-ball carnage, and he capitalised with a gritty 55 not out featuring three boundaries.

Bangladesh were set 192 to win in 41 overs following a rain delay of nearly three hours, and Bartlett (1-23) continued to provide a spark for the tourists when he dismissed Tanzid Hasan caught and bowled from the second ball of the innings.

The right-armer posed plenty of questions with the new ball, but the breakthroughs didn't come for Australia as recalled opener Soumya Sarkar (42) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (41) consolidated with a second wicket stand of 86.

Riley Meredith (1-50) claimed his maiden ODI wicket in his second match but further contributions from Das (21), Hridoy (40no) and Mehidy (22no) ensured there were no late nerves for the home side.

The determination of the skipper Mehidy to finish the job bordered on irrational, carrying on batting despite a blow to the head and vomiting at least twice during treatment. Perhaps fittingly, it was their captain who sealed Bangladesh's first ODI series triumph over the format's preeminent team with a six over fine leg in the 35th over.

"It means a lot (to beat Australia), it's an amazing feeling," vice-captain Shanto said post-match. "The way we played this series, we showed a lot of courage. I'm really proud to be part of this team."

The third ODI will also be played in Dhaka on Sunday before the two sides move to Chattogram for a three T20Is.

Qantas Tour of Bangladesh 2026

Australia squad for Bangladesh ODIs: Josh Inglis (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Riley Meredith, Todd Murphy, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Adam Zampa

June 9: First ODI: Bangladesh won by 86 runs (DLS Method)

June 11: Second ODI: Bangladesh won by five wickets (DLS Method)

June 14: Third ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST

Australia squad for Bangladesh T20Is: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Nikhil Chaudhary, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Adam Zampa

June 17: First T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST

June 19: Second T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST

June 21: Third T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST

All matches exclusive on Kayo Sports and Fox Cricket