Australia feel Tigers' bite in 'alien' conditions

Moises Henriques admits Australia have been outsmarted by Bangladesh during their back-to-back T20 International defeats played in conditions he labelled "as foreign and alien as I've ever seen". 

The Australians have been left perplexed as to how to score on a Dhaka pitch dampened by monsoonal rain, managing 108 (in pursuit of 132) in the series opener before faring little better the following evening by stumbling to 7-121, which the hosts reeled in with eight balls to spare. 

Both teams are missing a host of senior players but even Henriques, the visiting batter with the most T20 experience on the subcontinent with 60 Indian Premier League games in eight seasons, has been left scratching his head.

"Tonight I actually they thought they were a bit smarter than us to be honest," said Henriques after snapping a run of low scores with a gritty 30 in Wednesday's five-wicket defeat at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.

"Their cricket intelligence was probably (better). Maybe it helps they've played in monsoon season on this wicket a little more. 

"There's a young squad here and a lot of players who I think will go on to play a lot of games for Australia, and if they can find ways to succeed here in these conditions, they won't be faced with too many tougher conditions in terms of how the actual wicket and the ground is away from home.

"I've played 60 games in the IPL and the wickets that we're playing on here … they're as foreign and as alien as I've come across. 

"They're a big adjustment for us and we probably have to adapt quicker, that's for sure. There's no excuses there. 

"It's great for us to be exposed to this because I don't think it's going to get any more different or any more the opposite to what we're used to in Australia."

Australia have been bombarded with spin in the crucial Power Play periods, with all but of two of the 12 overs when the field restrictions have been place delivered by spin.

And even those two non-spin overs have been bowled by clever left-armer Mustafizur Rahman, Henriques' former IPL teammate at Sunrisers Hyderabad who the 34-year-old says has bowled two seam-up deliveries at most for the series so far.

Australia's spinners Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa on the other hand have bowled just an over apiece in the two Power Plays.

Bangladesh's batters have been less dominant – Afif Hossain's match-winning 37no in game two remains their highest individual total – but in both matches their top order has been able to cobble together enough runs for a winning score.

"There is a strange softness to the wicket, so (Bangladesh) have adapted really quickly," Henriques said. 

"They’ve bowled almost six overs of spin in the Power Play knowing what the wicket is going to be like this time of year, with how wet it is.

"They've got the advantage of knowing what that plays like. We had no idea it would be like that. 

"Having said that, now we do know, and whilst we can't control a few things we can definitely control assessing our own performances and coming up with plans for how we're going to get over the line for the next three (games)."

To do that the Australians must find a way of handling the unique skills of Mustafizur.

The 25-year-old is arguably the most talented fast-bowling prospect his country has produced due largely to the incredible flexion in his left arm and wrist that allows him to bowl cutters without sacrificing much of his natural pace.

It was a skill he only first truly realised when former Bangladesh wicketkeeper Anamul Haque asked if he had a slower ball while facing him in the nets as a teenager fresh out of his home village of Tetulia, where he did not bowl with a leather ball until he was in the Under-16s. 

"Mustafiz tonight showed how quickly he adapts – I think he bowled 23 or 24 slower balls and did not bowl any more balls with pace on," said Henriques. 

"He doesn't do that when he plays in the IPL … it's probably half-half. He summed up the conditions really well tonight, credit to him. His slower ball even on a good wicket is hard to play, let alone on something like that." 

Speaking to cricket.com.au, Henriques added: "It's one thing to be able to do that with your body but to keep hitting the right length like he does (is difficult to face).

"It's smart bowling because he's got some pace as well if he needs it, but he's summed up the conditions really well and stuck with his plan."

Qantas Tour of Bangladesh 2021

Australia squad: Ashton Agar, Wes Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Dan Christian, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade (c), Adam Zampa. Travelling reserve: Tanveer Sangha.

Bangladesh squad: Mahmudullah (c), Soumya Sarkar, Naim Sheikh, Shakib Al Hasan, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain, Shaif Uddin, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Mithun, Taijul Islam, Musaddek Hossain Saikat, Rubel Hossain

(all matches at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka)

First T20: Bangladesh won by 23 runs

Second T20: Bangladesh won by five wickets

Third T20: August 6, 6pm (10pm AEST)

Fourth T20: August 7, 6pm (10pm AEST)

Fifth T20: August 9, 6pm (10pm AEST)