Cummins hat-trick leads Aussies to easy win over Bangladesh

ANTIGUA (Caribbean Islands): Pat Cummins’s hat-trick backed by Adam Zampa’s impressive bowling display during middle-overs earned Australia easy points against Bangladesh in the rain-marred World Cup’s Super Eight match in Antigua. Rain disrupted the game on a few occasions before the final showers resulted in Australia’s win by 28 runs on DLS method.

Bangladesh were restricted to 140-8 following an early surge that saw them reaching 58-1 in the eighth over. Zampa then put the breaks while removing top scorer Najamu Hossain Shanto (41) and Litton Das (16).

Cummins jumped in to perform a hat-trick, removing Mahmudullah (2), Mahedi Hasan (0) on the last two deliveries of the third and then having Towhid Hirdoy (40) on the very ball of the next to complete a rare feat. It was Australia’s fourth hat-trick in the format and only the second in the T20 World Cup behind Brett Lee (2007) also against Bangladesh.

Bangladesh skipper Shanto, who struck five fours and one six during his knock, tried his best to pull his team out of trouble. Towhid Hirdoy’s two sixes and as many fours built the momentum for a brief period before Australian bowlers struck back.

David Warner (53 not out) and Travis Head (31) then raised 65 runs for the opening wicket in less than eight overs to set the platform for an easy run chase. Following a couple of breaks, Australia squeezed well ahead even after losing two wickets to leg spinner Rishad Hossain (2-23).

Australia won the toss

Bangladesh Innings

Hasan b Starc 0

Das b Zampa 16

Shanto (c) lbw b Zampa 41

Hossain c Zampa b Maxwell 2

Hridoy c Hazlewood b Cummins 40

Hasan c & b Stoinis 8

Mahmudullah b Cummins 2

Hasan c Zampa b Cummins 0

Ahmed not out 13

Hasan Sakib not out 4

Extras: (lb 3, w 11) 14

Total: 20 Ov (RR: 7.00) 140/8

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-58, 3-67, 4-84, 5-103, 6-122, 7-122, 8-133

Bowling: Mitchell Starc 4-0-21-1, Josh Hazlewood Pat Cummins 4-0-29-3, Adam Zampa 4-0-24-2, Marcus Stoinis

2-0-24-1, Glenn Maxwell 2-0-14-1

Australia Innings

Warner not out 53

Head b Rishad Hossain 31

Marsh (c) lbw b Hossain 1

Maxwell not out 14

Extras: (lb 1) 1

Total: 11.2 Ov (RR: 8.82) 100/2

Fall of wickets: 1-65, 2-69

Bowling: Mahedi Hasan 4-0-22-0, Tanzim Hasan Sakib 1-0-9-0, Taskin Ahmed 1.2-0-22-0, Mustafizur Rahman 2-0-23-0, Rishad Hossain 3-0-23-2

Result: AUS won by 28 runs (DLS method)

Player of the match: Pat Cummins

Umpires: Michael Gough, Richard Illingworth