Australia, aiming to complete a historic treble by securing the World Test Championship, ODI World Cup, and T20 World Cup titles, was awarded the victory under the Duckworth-Lewis method.
New Delhi: Australia star pacer Pat Cummins clinched a brilliant hat-trick and David Warner smashed a blistering 53 not out as Australia beat Bangladesh by 28 runs in a weather-disrupted T20 World Cup Super Eight clash in Antigua on Thursday.
Australia, which is bidding to secure a historic treble of World Test Championship, ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup titles, was given the victory under the Duckworth-Lewis formula after speeding to 100-2 off 11.2 overs when rain stopped the play.
In the first innings, Australia restricted Bangladesh at 140-8 off their 20 overs at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium in North Sound.
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh praised his bowlers for setting the stage for their victory.
“Really exciting bowling performance, the boys played well tonight,” Marsh said. “It is a very good playing XI. We’ve got 15 guys that can take us deep in the World Cup, but there’s a long way to go.”
Fast bowler Cummins was thrilled to achieve his first international hat-trick.
“Pretty awesome to tick that off,” Cummins said. “The boys are welcoming me into the club — it’s a good club to be part of.”
A final rain delay extended play past midnight, with Warner unbeaten on 53 and Glenn Maxwell on 14. Australia stood at 100-2, needing just 41 runs off 52 balls to win.
When no further play was possible, the victory was awarded to Australia.
Bangladesh, sent in to bat after losing the toss, struggled to find their rhythm, with their innings stalling late on as Cummins took the wickets of Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, and Towhid Hridoy in consecutive deliveries across two overs.
Reinstated to the starting line-up, Cummins finished with impressive figures of 3-29, while spinner Adam Zampa shone with 2-24.
Mitchell Starc etched his name in history by becoming the most prolific bowler in white-ball tournament cricket with his 95th World Cup wicket, trapping Tanzid Hasan in the opening over.
Starc’s early breakthrough, which moved him one clear of Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga, set the tone for Australia’s bowlers.
Australia’s attack maintained pressure on Bangladesh after Starc’s opening wicket, with Josh Hazlewood, back in the line-up, starting his spell with a maiden over.
Another tight over from Starc left Bangladesh with just eight runs from the first three overs. However, Najmul Hossain Shanto hinted at a more aggressive approach by hitting a six off Hazlewood to start the fourth over.
Liton Das sparked hope for Bangladesh with two boundaries off Starc in the fifth over, lifting the run rate to 5.40 at 27-1.
However, the introduction of Zampa put the brakes on Bangladesh’s progress. The spinner soon bowled Liton, who was tempted into a sweep in the ninth over, leaving Bangladesh at 58-2.
Maxwell struck in the 10th over, with Rishad Hossain caught by Zampa at short third man for two, as Bangladesh reached 67-3 at the halfway mark.
Zampa then dismissed Shanto for 41 in the 13th over, halting Bangladesh’s momentum and leaving them at 84-4. Cummins later tore through the lower order, setting Australia a target of 141 to win.
