Australia v Bangladesh
Wisden's review of Australia v Bangladesh
Geoff Lemon
15-Apr-2017
At Bangalore, March 21, 2016 (floodlit). Australia won by three wickets. Toss: Australia. Twenty20 international debut: Saqlain Sajib.
This was an opportunity missed for Bangladesh. Watson removed Soumya Sarkar in the second over, before returning in the sixth to account for Sabbir Rahman; he had two for two, and Bangladesh were pottering along at less than a run a ball. Mithun Ali and Shakib Al Hasan accelerated to add 37 but, as so often in this tournament, leg-spin provided the brake. The inexperienced Zampa bowled his full spell from the tenth over, dismissing Mithun in his first, Shuvagata Hom in his second, conceding only five singles in his third, and getting Shakib in his fourth. It added up to three for 23 and the match award. Mahmudullah ducked, weaved and chose his moments to pull and cut, finishing with an outstanding unbeaten 49 from 29 balls, to give Bangladesh what seemed a competitive total. Khawaja thought otherwise. He made a 45-ball 58, including three fours in a row off Shakib, with an elegance belying the format. Khawaja reduced the ask to 42 at six an over, though late wickets fell after he was bowled behind his legs. Maxwell's 26 from 15 kept the target easily in hand, and the result was not as close as the scoreline suggested.
Man of the Match: A. Zampa.
This was an opportunity missed for Bangladesh. Watson removed Soumya Sarkar in the second over, before returning in the sixth to account for Sabbir Rahman; he had two for two, and Bangladesh were pottering along at less than a run a ball. Mithun Ali and Shakib Al Hasan accelerated to add 37 but, as so often in this tournament, leg-spin provided the brake. The inexperienced Zampa bowled his full spell from the tenth over, dismissing Mithun in his first, Shuvagata Hom in his second, conceding only five singles in his third, and getting Shakib in his fourth. It added up to three for 23 and the match award. Mahmudullah ducked, weaved and chose his moments to pull and cut, finishing with an outstanding unbeaten 49 from 29 balls, to give Bangladesh what seemed a competitive total. Khawaja thought otherwise. He made a 45-ball 58, including three fours in a row off Shakib, with an elegance belying the format. Khawaja reduced the ask to 42 at six an over, though late wickets fell after he was bowled behind his legs. Maxwell's 26 from 15 kept the target easily in hand, and the result was not as close as the scoreline suggested.
Man of the Match: A. Zampa.