MIRPUR: Australia managed to pull through a tough battle at the end to secure victory over Bangladesh by one wicket in the third and last One Day International, thereby saving themselves from being whitewashed on Sunday.
While chasing a score of 275, Australia achieved the target off the last ball in the 50th over as they closed the game at 275/9.
Cooper Connolly was the hero for the Australian team after he delivered a splendid knock of 149 runs to keep Australia in the match.
Some other performances for Australia include 29 from Marnus Labuschagne, 27 from Oliver Peake, 27 from Cameron Green and 21 from captain Josh Inglis. Australia also lost Alex Carey (8) and Ben Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett were out cheaply. Matthew Renshaw and some other players also got out while chasing the target.
Australia completed their run chase successfully as Adam Zampa (unbeaten 4) and Riley Meredith (unbeaten 2) remained undefeated.
Shoriful Islam took a great six-wicket haul for the losing side. While Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed got only one wicket each.
Earlier, Bangladesh posted 274 for 5 after winning the toss and opting to bat first. Towhid Hridoy top-scored with 83, while Litton Das (58) and Mosaddek Hossain (56) remained unbeaten to guide the innings.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto added 24 runs, while Tanzid Hasan scored 19. Mehidy Hasan and Soumya Sarkar contributed 3 and 2 runs respectively.
Australia’s bowling attack was led by Matthew Renshaw and Xavier Bartlett, who took two wickets each, while Ben Dwarshuis added one.
The thrilling contest ensured a dramatic finish to the ODI series, with Australia salvaging pride in a match that went down to the wire.
India Defeat Pakistan by 64 Runs in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Opener
Meanwhile, Pakistan endured a disappointing start to their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign after suffering a comprehensive 64-run defeat against arch-rivals India in their opening match on Sunday.
Chasing a challenging target of 171 runs, Pakistan’s batting lineup struggled against a disciplined Indian bowling attack and was bowled out for 106 before completing its allotted overs.
Pakistan failed to build meaningful partnerships throughout the innings, with Gul Feroza and Ayesha Zafar emerging as the top scorers with 12 runs each. Saira Jabeen managed only two runs as the batting order collapsed under pressure.
India’s bowlers delivered a dominant performance, led by Deepti Sharma, who claimed five wickets to dismantle Pakistan’s batting lineup. Shree Charani also made a significant contribution with three wickets.
Earlier, India posted a competitive total of 170 for 6 after being asked to bat. Star batter Smriti Mandhana anchored the innings with an impressive 68-run knock, providing the foundation for a strong total.
India’s batters maintained a steady scoring rate throughout the innings, putting Pakistan’s bowlers under pressure and setting up a formidable target.
The victory gave India a winning start to their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign, while Pakistan will be looking to regroup and improve their performance in the upcoming matches of the tournament.
The high-profile encounter attracted significant attention from cricket fans, with India emerging as the dominant side in the much-anticipated clash between the two South Asian rivals.
