Quantcast

Match Report:

Scorecard

Bangladesh hold firm to hand Australia another defeat

On a difficult surface in Dhaka, Bangladesh overcome an early stumble with the bat after Australia had posted their lowest-ever 20-over total batting first

Australia will need three consecutive victories to avoid a first ever series defeat to Bangladesh after another lacklustre batting display saw their plucky hosts surge to their second win in just 24 hours.

Mitch Marsh's ultra-consistent form continued as the allrounder pummelled another innings-high score (45 off 42) but he once again found little support from his teammates, who this time squandered a promising foundation before they limped to 7-121.

Bangladesh teetered after losing their fifth wicket with a little more than half the runs knocked off, but Afif Hossain (37no off 31) and Nurul Hasan (22no off 21) played bravely in an unbeaten 56-run stand that sealed a five-wicket victory at Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.

Left-arm quick Mustafizur Rahman was again outstanding with his dipping slower balls, taking 3-23 from four overs to give him five wickets at 7.80 with an economy rate of 4.87 for the series to date.

Marsh and Moises Henriques, whose 30 off 25 balls was worth more given the challenging conditions, had wrestled the momentum of the match Australia's way with a 57-run third-wicket partnership.

Image Id: C40565BE482F471EABC13DA5F1BABE46 Image Caption: Marsh led the way for Australia once again // cricket.com.au

But Henriques' dismissal sparked a devastating collapse of 5-18 in a 23-ball stretch.

The Aussies could only manage 34 runs from their final six overs amid the procession.

It came after they lost Tuesday's series opener having slumped to 3-11 and failing to chase down 132.

Shakib al-Hasan (26 off 17) and Mahedi Hasan (23 off 24) had broken the back of the run chase but the hosts still required 55 off 52 balls when Adam Zampa had Mahedi stumped.

Nurul and Afif were daring in taking on the vaunted Australian bowling attack, hitting Mitchell Starc for 13 off an over – which included the left-handed Afif hitting him for a glorious boundary over cover – to tip the balance of the match back in their side's favour.

Afif let out a mighty fist pump as he hit Josh Hazlewood for the winning runs with eight balls to spare.

Spin duo Ashton Agar (1-27 off four overs) and Adam Zampa (1-24) did best with the ball for the Aussies.

The two teams now have a day off before the five-match series resumes on Friday, with Australia now needing to win that match to keep the series alive.

Image Id: 6502A13C59E24B30B711EC21F0EEAEDD Image Caption: Shakib starred with bat and ball for Bangladesh // cricket.com.au

It was not quite the nightmare of the previous evening, but Australia once again stumbled out of the blocks as opening pair Alex Carey (10) and Josh Philippe (bowled around his legs by Mustafizur for 11) failed to make meaningful contributions.

Henriques snapped a run of four consecutive single-digit scores with a hard-fought knock, hitting the only six of the Australian innings.

The 34-year-old along with Marsh had just taken the ascendancy by scoring 41 runs in a five-over period through the middle overs when Henriques was bowled trying to sweep Shakib.

It proved the game's turning point as, two overs later, Marsh edged behind off Shoriful Islam, who was also difficult to get away in a four-over haul of 2-27, and the Aussies that followed were confounded by the inconsistent conditions.

Mustafizur removed stand-in skipper Matthew Wade and Ashton Agar with successive deliveries, the latter to a fizzing off-break that spat out of the surface and ballooned to the keeper off the left-hander's gloves.

Starc troubled the Bangladesh openers with his pace, hitting Mohammad Naim in the helmet before bowling his partner Soumya Sarker for a second-ball duck.

Shakib looked more comfortable, clipping the left-armer for consecutive boundaries off his first two deliveries though he got a third off as many balls with an outside edge that flew past keeper Wade.

Mahedi rode his luck early, lobbing the ball just out of reach of fielders on a handful of occasions, before launching an enormous six off Zampa over long-on to raucous cheers from his teammates.

Bangladesh twice had lbws given out on field that were overturned on review, with Shakib and Afif both profiting from the use of the Decision Review System.

As was the case for game one of the series, the match was not broadcast in Australia due to a standoff between the Bangladesh rights holders and Australian broadcasters.

Australia XI: Alex Carey, Josh Philippe, Mitchell Marsh, Moises Henriques, Matthew Wade (c), Ashton Turner, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, AJ Tye, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

Bangladesh XI: Mohammad Naim, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Mahmudullah (c), Nurul Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Afil Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Islam, Nasum Ahmed

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)