LIVE: Aussies chasing 110 after Johnson's record return

Australia face a modest chase in their pursuit of a T20I series sweep of Bangladesh after Spencer Johnson's record figures led a strangling bowling effort in the final match of their nine-game winter subcontinent trip.

The Tigers threatened their all-time T20I low score of 70 (against New Zealand in 2016) after slumping to 7-65 but recovered to 8-109 thanks almost entirely to captain Towhid Hridoy's 61 from 51 balls.

Only one of his teammates (Rishad Hossain, with 16 off 14) reached double figures as Australia swarmed on a tired surface in their first T20 series since their World Cup bust in Sri Lanka earlier this year.

Johnson finished with the extraordinary return of 2-6, the most economical four-over spell ever by an Australian in a men's T20I.

It was a major boost for a side seeking its first clean sweep of a bilateral T20I series (of at least three matches) in Asia.

"We’ve got to bat on it, but it's a nice start," said Johnson, who acknowledged he had needed to reassess after coughing up 39 runs from two wicketless overs in the second T20I.

"We played on this exact wicket two days ago. Personally I didn't get it quite right, yesterday I reflected on that and bounced back today.

"We've got to give some credit to the way we bowled … when you get a bit of assistance you've got to cash in."

After Hridoy elected to bat, the carnage commenced in unfortunate fashion when Tanzid Hasan was run-out backing up at the non-striker's end, coming in a double-wicket over for Johnson.

Parvez Emon's painful 13-ball 1 left his side on 3-11, with their final Powerplay tally only double that after Joel Davies allowed two boundaries off his first over.

Adam Zampa (2-22) started with a wicket-maiden, bowling the returning Nurul Hasan with a grubber, while fellow leg-spinner Nikhil Chaudhary (1-27) also prospered after being handed the new ball.

While it was deemed a six, Aaron Hardie pulled off a stunning piece of boundary-line athleticism (and thankfully escaped injury) to lead a strong fielding effort by Mitch Marsh's men.

Australia named an unchanged XI at the toss, sticking with the side that clung on for a seven-run victory two days earlier at the same venue.

Bangladesh made three changes. Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar and Abdul Saqlain are out with Nural Hasan, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam included in their places.

For Australia, a bilateral series whitewash might ultimately count for little given their inability to come to grips with Asian conditions four months ago when they failed to make knockout stages of a third consecutive T20 World Cup.

But given they lost to two teams ranked below Bangladesh (currently eighth) during the most recent men's ICC event (co-hosts Sri Lanka, who sit ninth, and Zimbabwe, ranked 11th), it will be considered a step in the right direction.

Especially given the absence of leading lights like Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green for the final leg of a trip that has included ODIs against Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Bangladesh XI: Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon (wk), Towhid Hridoy (c), Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed

 

Australia XI: Mitch Marsh (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Matt Renshaw, Nikhil Chaudhary, Joel Davies, Aaron Hardie, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson 

Qantas Tour of Bangladesh 2026

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, 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: Australia won by one wicket

Australia T20I squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Nikhil Chaudhary, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Adam Zampa

June 17: First T20I: Australia won by four wickets

June 19: Second T20I: Australia won by seven runs

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

All matches exclusive on Kayo Sports and Fox Cricket