Cummins, Warner help Australia to sink Bangladesh in rain-hit clash

ANTIGUA: David Warner struck an unbeaten half-century after Pat Cummins claimed a hat-trick to help Australia register a dominant victory over Bangladesh in the Super Eights match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 here at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Thursday.

Set to chase 141, Australia edged Bangladesh by 28 runs as per the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS) method to win their fifth consecutive match in the tournament.

Travis Head and Warner gave Australia a flying start to their pursuit as they exhibited aggressive strokeplay from the word go and scored 59 runs in the powerplay.

However, the game was briefly interrupted after the powerplay due to rain.

Australia lost Head, who scored 31 off 21 with three fours and two sixes, right after the rain break. Rishad Hossain got the prized scalp of Head, followed by the wicket of Australian captain Mitchell Marsh in the next over.

Warner continued his onslaught and raised his half-century in 34 balls with a six off Taskin Ahmed.

The left-hander’s domination took Australia 28 runs ahead of the DLS par score when rain interrupted again

The second spell of rain was more severe and persistent, forcing the match to be called off. Consequently, Australia claimed a 28-run victory.

Warner scored an unbeaten 53 off 35 balls, with the help of five boundaries and three sixes. Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell remained unbeaten at 14 off 6.

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Earlier, Cummins claimed the first hat-trick of the T20 World Cup 2024 to restrict Bangladesh to 140-8.

The hat-trick was spanned across two overs as he dismissed Mahmudullah (2) and Mahedi Hasan (1) on the last two deliveries of the 18th over.

He then got the prized scalp of Bangladesh’s settled batter Towhid Hridoy to claim his first hat-trick in T20I cricket.

Prior to that, Mitchell Starc bowled Tanzid Hasan (0) on the third ball of the innings to draw first blood after Australia opted to field.

However, Litton Das and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto knitted a 58-run stand for the second wicket, with the latter scoring the bulk of runs, to force Bangladesh’s comeback.

Das scored 16 off 25 before falling Adam Zampa, while Glenn Maxwell removed Rishad Hossain to reduce Bangladesh to 67-2 in 10 overs.

Zampa struck again to send Shanto back to the pavilion. Bangladesh captain top-scored with a cautious 41-run knock from 36 balls with the help of five boundaries and one six.

Towhid Hridoy then played a quick cameo of 40 runs from 28 balls, laced with two sixes and two fours before becoming the third victim of Cummins.

Taskin Ahmed scored an unbeaten 13 off 7 to drag Bangladesh’s total to 140-8 in their allotted 20 overs.

Cummins led the bowling attack of Australia with the figures of 3-29, while Zampa managed two wickets.

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