Bangladesh created history by clinching their first-ever bilateral ODI series against Australia, defeating the visitors by five wickets via the DLS method in the rain-affected second ODI at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Thursday (June 11).
Chasing a target of 192 runs in 41 overs, the Tigers scored 195 for five in 35 overs.
Soumya Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored with 42 each, while Towhid Hridoy remained not out on 40.
Earlier, Bangladesh were set a revised target when the play resumed after hours of rain-hit hiatus.
Rain came in when Australia were batting at 187 for eight, right after Taskin Ahmed’s double strike.
After winning the toss, the visitors decided to bat first. But their dream of putting up a big total was hit hard when they lost three wickets without scoring even a single run.
It was the first time in Australia’s history that they lost as many wickets with nothing on the board.
Matthew Short was the first man to fall for a duck. It was a back-of-a-length delivery from Taskin Ahmed, which shaped back to the stumps from outside the off.
Short failed to play it, suffered his third duck in a row in three ODIs, with one before this series.
In the second over of the match, Mustafizur Rahman sent back Cooper Connolly and Matt Renshaw for a duck each.
Australia lost its sixth wicket for 81 runs, which raised a genuine concern for them to be bowled out in less than 100 runs.
But in the seventh wicket stand, Marnus Labuschagne and Xavier Bartlett posted 103 runs.
Australia lost the first match at the same venue, which was their first defeat to Bangladesh in an ODI in 21 years.
Bangladesh are now sitting on a good chance to beat Australia in an ODI series for the first time in their history.
MSH
