Australia have beaten Bangladesh by three wickets thanks to big performances by Adam Zampa and Usman Khawaja to register their first win of the tournament, all but ending the hopes of a finals appearance for the tigers.
Australia sent their opposition into bat and put them on the back foot straight away after Shane Watson picked up a wicket off his second ball to leave Bangladesh reeling at 1/2 after eight balls.
Adam Zampa was the pick of the bowlers for Australia, dominating the middle overs to scoop up three big wickets to give his side the upper hand coming into the death stages of the innings.
Where Zampa excelled, his team mates stumbled. Smith called on seven different bowlers throughout the innings but nearly all of them continued to suffer through inconsistency, letting Bangladesh back into the game late.
A late blitz of 49 from 29 deliveries by Mahmudullah punished the Australian’s, piling on 44 from the last three overs to set a very competitive total of 5/156.
Australia came out in cruise mode, packing on 62 runs for the first wicket in just seven overs before Watson was caught short at the keepers end, jogging for a second run.
Usman Khawaja was the stand out in the batting department, piecing together his highest T20 international score of 58 to guide his side into a dominant position, needing just 42 from the last seven overs when he lost his wicket.
The game would take one final twist though in the final overs, Australia losing a flurry of wickets with the total in reach. A vital Glenn Maxwell cameo at the end finalised the result and scraped the Aussie’s home by just three wickets to take the much needed points.
Far from convincing, Australia’s scrappy win will pose a few selection questions for their upcoming matches against stronger opponents Pakistan and India. Bangladesh on the other hand have had their final shot at the knockout stages dashed as they move on to India in a few days.
Final Score:
Australia win by 3 wickets
AUS 7/157 (18.3 overs)
BAN 5/156 (20 overs)
Australia are looking to get their World T20 campaign back on track when they take on Bangladesh in Bangalore. Join The Roar from 1am (AEDT) for all the action.
Australia are in need of a win after going down to New Zealand in their tournament opener, putting them on the back foot early in the group stages.
Steve Smith’s men struggled with the slow conditions and lost wickets at vital points of the game, leaving them with some kinks to iron out.
With the pitch expected to be more pace friendly, there has been a lot of discussion on a possible return for Aaron Finch to the side. Notoriously shaky against spin bowling, the harder deck should be a playground for Finch against a scrappy Bangladesh bowling attack.
Bangladesh have been hit hard during the tournament, with Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny being banned for illegal bowling actions over the weekend, following their loss to Pakistan.
The Bangladeshis need to chop and change their line-up to compensate for two of their strike bowlers being out, although they may go with a pace-orientated attack given their squad depth and pitch conditions.
Australia should take a lot of confidence into this game having never lost to Bangladesh in the shortest format of the game.
Prediction
The Australians stumbled in their opener but should have settled into the Indian conditions by now, gaining confidence with bat and ball. Although Bangladesh will throw everything they have into the contest, it’s hard to see Australia losing this one.
Australia to win by seven wickets or 43 runs.
Can Australia muscle their way back into the tournament, or will Bangladesh steal an upset and make a late charge for the finals? Join The Roar from 1am (AEDT) for all the big hits and action from the World T20.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
They wanted him for his bowling and they probably consider that he can't bat anywhere other than opening?
Aransan
Guest
Neville should have come in once the required run rate had dropped to a reasonable level and only sensible batting was required. The lack of appropriate batting has been significant for Australia in their 2 matches so far. Maxwell's dismissal was ridiculous, they only needed to push the ball around and the dismissal opened up the possibility of defeat being snatched from the jaws of victory. Watson's run-out seemed to come from a reluctance by him to stretch his hamstrings but I guess he knows his body best. Just imagine what would have happened if Bangladesh had held their catches and saved the runs they should have in the field.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Ironically in the 2014 T20 WC in Bangladesh our top 4 included the abject failure of Watson at 3, and a pretty ordinary Warner opening. Finch was best run scorer/avg (2 50s) and Maxwell at #4 scored just under 150 from 4 outings with a 70 and a 40. Bailey, Hodge, Haddin down the order failed to fire when required. Watson has earned his spot seriously on 1 T20i innings - his 124* v Sydney. Even with that, since the last match in India in Oct 2013 he has 376 at 23.5. Take that innings out and he has 252 at 15.75 with 2 40s and 2 30s and that's mostly batting #3 or #2. I just really wonder how the selectors justify his elevation at the expense of world #1 opener Finch (whose form since that Oct 2013 is ahead of both Warner and Watson - and let's not even go there around S.Smith). Irony is Warner is behind Finch in T20 and ODIs. Warner has transformed into a test cricket (congrats to him). Why burn him in this format???
Wasted1
Guest
Was thinking the same thing, definitely started to look very wobbly. Yep agree about the allrounders, between faulkner, maxwell and marsh they contributed 0 wickets for 50 runs over 5 overs. Along with just 37 runs between them. If you include hastings as well then those figures are 0 for 74 off 8 overs and 40 runs between the 4 of them. This is just from a neutral observer but are those figures justifiying the allrounder selection policy? I'm not so sure.
Connor Bennett
Editor
They have to bring Finch in surely, the man is literally the highest ranked batsmen in the world for this format but he can't get a spot in the side? As for Hastings, I do like big John but I don't think he suits these conditions in India and Hazlewood should get a run soon one would think
Connor Bennett
Editor
Those two overs towards the end where he hit a few fours and sixes basically got Australia home in the end, but you can't help but feel those are the situations in his career that he needs to stay in and see it out, just for that extra confidence and discipline for his batting
Connor Bennett
Editor
It's all over in Bangalore and Bangladesh's tournament is all but over now. Australia certainly didn't make it easy for themselves in the end but they've taken the important points out of the match to give themselves a shot at the knock-out stages.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Well Australia had sloppy finishes to both innings today but still did enough to win, Imagine if Bangladesh had not been so weakened by injury and suspensions though? I still think Australia are overdoing it playing four all-rounders in their top seven. They could really do with another specialist batsman and with a guy the quality of Finch waiting to come in they must make that change for the next game.
Chris Moore
Roar Rookie
A bit of a ho hum victory for Australia, both batting and bowling lacked a bit especially towards the end of both innings. I might agree with bringing in Finch and Hazlewood at the expense of Hastings and maybe Marsh although he just had a good SA series. We need some more reliable performers rather than versatility. Anyhow at least we got the points, g'night!
Connor Bennett
Editor
AUSTRALIA WIN BY 3 WICKETS
Connor Bennett
Editor
19th Over 1 . 4 18.1 - Peter Neville has come to the crease for Hastings and will face up for the start of the over. Smartly nudges it down the ground to long off for a single. 18.2 - Very big chunk of spin off the pitch their. Faulkner was all over the place but gets the bat in front of it in the end. 18.3 - FOUR!! Dragged short and a bit of width for Faulkner, he backs off in the crease and slaps it through the cover region to get the boundary and finally end the match AUS 7/157
riddler
Guest
what r we doing???
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
Brainless batting
Connor Bennett
Editor
18th Over W . 1 1 1 W 17.1 - OUT!! G Maxwell st Rahim b Shakib 26(15) Australia continue to lose wickets here!! Maxwell had played so well to keep his side on top but he's tried for one too many, charging down the sicket to Shakib who shoots it in shorter with a bit of extra pace, he beats the bat and Rahim had no trouble whipping the bails off 17.2 - John Hastings comes to the crease 17.3 - Dropped catch!! Oh no it could have been another for Bangladesh. Hastings has no idea what to do with Shakib and he chips a lolly to short cover but he grasses it and Shakib drops his head. 17.5 - A very low bounce after Shakib dragged it down and Hastings was very lucky to get bat on that one in front of the stumps. A tight second ruhn almost sees a run out but the big man gets home. 17.6 - OUT!! J Hastings c Soumya b Shakib 3(4) It's all falling apart for the Australian batting line up. Hastings goes for the big blow over cow corner but sends it straight down the throat of Soumya in the deep AUS 7/152 5 to win
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
That was a crucial cameo by Maxwell...needing 36 from 29 they were under pressure but he released all of that. Silly dismissal though.
Chris Moore
Roar Rookie
Oh Maxi...was he going for net run rate? Would prefer for Nevill to come in now
Connor Bennett
Editor
17th Over . W 6 . 6 1 16.1 - Very very good delivery nearly finds the outside edge from around the wicket. It just died on it's bounce late and Marsh played all around it. 16.2 - OUT!! M Marsh c Shakib b Rahman 6(6) Another wicket falls and this game is far from over yet!! Marsh was weary after the previous ball and he was in two minds about the shot. In the end he just chipped it to Shakib at point who took a good catch running back behind him. 16.3 - James Faulkner stretches up the non strikers end. SIX!!! Maxwell is taking the game away from them here. It was down leg side and he flicked it from back in the crease behind square with such power that it carried the whole way. it stayed so low the whole time. 16.4 - Very good slower ball and Maxwell sheds a smile as he fails to find anything to do with it. 16.5 - SIX!!! Another one from Maxxy!! It was right up on the legs but he shuffles back the slightest to give himself room to get under it. Just lifts it effortlessly over long on for another big one AUS 5/148 9 to win
Chris Moore
Roar Rookie
Gah, this isn't inspiring me with any confidence for India and Pakistan, although Mustafizur has looked really good
Connor Bennett
Editor
16th Over . 4 1 4 1 4 15.1 - Sajib has been thrown the pill to roll the arm over. Maxwell dances down the wicket but yorks himself and can't get it away past mid off. 15.2 - FOUR!! A hint of width and Maxwell jumps across his stumps to open up the offside. Slashes the cut shot off the back foot past cover for four 15.4 - FOUR!! Misfield in the deep and that's not what Bangladesh need at this point of the game. Marsh cut through the offside off the back foot and the dodgy bounce near the ropes did the fielder in 15.6 - FOUR!! Maxwell muscles the full toss over he infield to the cover boundary and that was a huge over for Australia and could be the sinker for Bangladesh AUS 4/135 22 to win
Connor Bennett
Editor
15th Over . W . 1 . 1 14.2 - OUT!! D Warner c & b Shakib 17(9) OH what a catch!! Absolutely brilliant reflexes from Shakib to snag one off his won bowling. It was a very average full toss and Warner tried to hammer it back down the ground but he's slashed it just to the left of Shakib who latches on to a very handy catch and another important wicket 14.3 - Mitch Marsh comes to the crease with a lot to prove. Good first ball from Shakib, floating up on middle and off and turning back in to the stumps 14.4 - A little short and Marsh does well to lean back and punch through point to get off the mark 14.6 - Driven hard off the front foot for a single to long off AUS 4/121 36 to win