World T20: Khawaja powers Australia past Bangladesh

03/21/2016

Usman Khawaja’s 45-ball 58 had put Australia on course for an easy victory before they made it difficult for themselves to register a three-wicket victory against Bangladesh at Bengaluru on Monday. Earlier, Bangladesh put 156/6 on the board with a late charge from Mahmudullah, who scored 49.

Brief Scores: Bangladesh 156/5 in 20 overs (Mahmudullah 49*(29), Shakib 33(25), Zampa 3/23) lost to Australia 157/7 in 18.3 overs (Khawaja 58(48), Maxwell 26(15), Shakib 3/27) by three wickets

Chasing 157, Australia got off to a rollicking start with Usman Khawaja scoring nine runs off the opening over from Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza. After a few tentative jabs at the ball, Khawaja took his foot forward on the fourth delivery and smashed the length ball from Mortaza for a classy six straight down the ground to kick-start the Aussie innings. The gentle off-spinners from Mahmudullah curtailed the run flow from the other end, but it was back to routine for the Aussies in the third over as Al-Amin Hossain conceded ten runs with Khawaja taking a liking to the pace bowler’s deliveries.

Khawaja seemed unstoppable in the middle as he took apart Shakib Al-Hasan in the fifth over sending him for three consecutive boundaries. Watson, who had been playing second fiddle to the left-hander, joined in the act before the powerplay ended by guiding a cutter from Mustafizur Rahman to the third-man boundary. Another cutter from the left-armer almost gave Bangladesh their first wicket after Watson top-edged one, only to see Mohammad Mithun make a total mess of the catch at midwicket.

However, the all-rounder’s stay at the crease came to an end in the eighth over after Sabbir Rahman’s rocket off a throw beat him in the race to the stumps. But the wicket of the opening partner made no difference to Khawaja as he continued his merry making and reached his maiden T20I fifty in the tenth over by sending a long-hop from Shuvagata Hom to the backward point boundary. Things didn’t seem so rosy at the other end with skipper Steve Smith struggling for his timing and finally perished after a 13-ball 14 to a full delivery from Mustafizur.

Warner came in next and looked in a hurry to finish the innings as he took on Mahmudullah to score 17 runs in the 14th over by smashing the off-spinner for a six and a four off back-to-back deliveries. Needing a run-a-ball 42 in the last seven overs, Australia were in cruise mode, only to lose Khawaja in the very next over after Al-Amin Hossain bowled the left-hander around the legs for a well-made 58 off 45-balls.

Warner also departed shortly gifting an easy return catch to Shakib, while Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh and John Hastings returned to the pavillion one after another in quick succession to put the Aussies in a spot of bother at the end. But Bangladesh's charge came a bit too late like in their batting as Australia registered a three-wicket victory with nine balls to spare.

Earlier in the day, Australia captain Steven Smith won the toss and chose to field at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Australia brought in John Hastings for Ashton Agar while Bangladesh made 3 changes to the side as Tamim Iqbal fell sick before the game and Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny were banned only two days back for suspect bowling actions. In came Mustafizur Rahman, Shuvagata Hom and Saqlain Sajib.

Bangladesh started their innings with caution as Soumya Sarkar and Mohammad Mithun looked to test the waters before shifting gears. But after an initial struggle, Sarkar perished to Watson, fishing for one outside off giving Glenn Maxwell an easy catch. Sabbir Rahman walked into the middle as Bangladesh looked to recover from the initial jolt after struggling to score any boundaries in the first three overs.

But in the fourth over, Smith made his first bowling change to bring in John Hastings and Sabbir took the opportunity to score a couple of boundaries off the bowler. But his hurry to score runs cost him his wicket in the 6th over as Watson got his second of the game, to again restrict the rising run flow.

Smith, then decided to bring his spin-twins, and Shakib and Mithun sensed an opportunity. Maxwell was taken for 12 runs in the 9th over. But the Bangladeshi pair couldn’t continue to do that to Zampa, who sent the dangerous looking Mithun back.

It started to look like one-step-forward-two-steps-back for Bangladesh as every high-scoring over was followed by a wicket. The same trend followed when Shuvagata Hom smacked Zampa for a six and a four only to throw his wicket away the very next ball. Shakib took it upon himself to restore the innings and to take Bangladesh to a respectable total. The all-rounder was well supported by Mahmudullah, who dispatched Hastings to the ropes with a four and a six in the 13th over. The pair added 27 runs before Shakib was dismissed by Zampa, as the leggie picked his 3rd wicket.

Mahmudullah though continued the assault from his end, taking Faulkner and Watson to the cleaners in the 18th over and 19th over. Bangladesh added 44 runs in the last 3 overs, mostly thanks to the 30-year old Mahmudullah’s fearless batting that saw him end the innings as the highest scorer, with 49 runs off 29 balls taking Bangladesh to 156/5.

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