ICC T20 WC: Zampa spins Australia to a massive win, hopes alive

Australia thrashed Bangladesh by eight wickets in their penultimate encounter in the Super 12 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup to keep their hopes of making the semi-final alive.

After being asked to bat, Bangladesh were shot out for 73 and then Australia chased down the target in 6.2 overs to finish on 6.2 vers.

Earlier, Australia struck at regulr intervals. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood struck in the first couple of overs. That set the Bangladesh innings back in a big way. The innings did not recover from that loss in any way.

Mohammad Naim stuck around for a while, he added 22 runs for the fourth wicket with captain Mahmudullah. Then Shamim Hossan added 29 runs for the sixth wicket with Mahmudullah, but Bangladesh never really recovered from the constant fall of wickets. The highest scorer in the innings was Shamim with 19. The rest of the batsmen failed to read Adam Zampa as he ran through the lower-order with accurate leg-spin. In the end Bangladesh was shot out for a mere 73 in 15 overs.

Adam Zampa speaks after Australia beat Bangladesh

© ICC / T20 World Cup

For Australia, Zampa with figures of five for 19 was the best bowler. Starc with two for 21 and Hazlewood with two for eight were the other wicket-takers.

Australia needed to chase down the target in under eight overs to improve their run-rate. Australia captain Aaron Finch took charge of the chase as he smacked 40 off 20 balls with two boundaries and four sixes. Finch realised the need to score swiftly. His partner David Warner contributed 18 off 14 balls. Finch and Warner added 58 runs for the opening wicket to keep pace with the rate they needed. But in the process both Finch and Warner fell. In the end Australia overhauled the target in just 6.2 overs to finish on 78 for two to win by eight wickets.

Match Summary

Bangladesh: 73 (15)
Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Liton Das-0.3 ov), 2-6 (Soumya Sarkar-1.6 ov), 3-10 (Mushfiqur Rahim-2.5 ov), 4-32 (Mohammad Naim-5.3 ov), 5-33 (Afif Hossain-6.1 ov), 6-62 (Shamim Hossain-10.5 ov), 7-62 (Mahedi Hasan-10.6 ov), 8-65 (Mahmudullah-12.2 ov), 9-73 (Mustafizur Rahman-14.4 ov), 10-73 (Shoriful Islam-14.6 ov)

Australia: 78-2 (6.2)
Fall of wickets: 1-58 (Aaron Finch-4.6 ov), 2-67 (David Warner-5.6 ov)

Result: Australia won by eight wickets

Scorecard

Playing XI
Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (captain), Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wicket-keeper), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

Bangladesh: Mohammad Naim, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah (captain), Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam

Match details
Toss: Australia, elected to field
Venue: Dubai International Stadium, Dubai
Start time: 1400 hrs UAE time
Match officials: Kumar Dharmasena, Nitin Menon (On-field Umpires); Joel Wilson (TV Umpire); Chris Brown (Reserve Umpire); Jeff Crowe (Match-referee)