Bangladesh produced an epic performance to stun the reigning ODI World champions, Australia, in the first ODI of the three-match series at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, on Tuesday, June 9. The Bangladeshi side put up a completely dominant performance in the series opener, and lightning and rain handed them a huge 86-run win (DLS method) in the opener.
This is only the second time in 36 years that Bangladesh have managed to beat Australia in an ODI game, and it came after 21 years since their only victory over them in Cardiff in 2005.ย
Bangladesh topples Australia with complete performance
It was a complete performance from Bangladesh as their batters and bowlers put up stellar performances in what is the first bilateral series against Australia in 15 years. Making a return to the side after four years, Mosaddek Hossain scored an unbeaten 86 from 70 balls, while opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim (54) and No.3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (67) laid the platform with their 96-run stand for the second wicket.
The hosts lost both players by the halfway stage, but Towhid Hridoy and Mosaddek joined hands and led the charge. The two put up 75 for the fifth wicket, and the 30-year-old all-rounder carried the team ahead with an unbeaten 86 as Taskin Ahmed also chipped in with a 16-ball 20 that powered the Bangla Tigers to 284/8, their fourth-highest ODI score.
Nahid Rana leads with four-wicket haul
It was another strong performance from fast bowler Nahid Rana, who took a five-wicket haul in the Test match against Pakistan recently. He scalped a four-fer in this game to set up the win as the Aussie batters failed big time. Australia are without their famous pace trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc and star batters Travis Head and captain Mitchell Marsh.
Only three of the Aussie batters crossed 10 as it underlined the horror batting efforts by the current ODI World champions. Cooper Connolly, Alex Carey and Cameron Green were the three to get past that mark, as Green was the only half-centurion and a lone fighter in the chase.
Australia were reeling at 51/3, and it all kept going worse for them. Rana, Mustafizur Rahman and Mossadek shared eight wickets, while Taskin Ahmed also took one. Green laboured past a fifty, and they were staring down the barrel before a lightning stopped the play, only for rain to intervene soon as the match was called off and Bangladesh won by 86 runs (DLS method) to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
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