Bangladesh player Mustafizur Rahman, center, celebrates with his teammates (AP Photo)
Bangladesh created history on Thursday with their first-ever ODI series win over Australia, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match match with a five-wicket win in the second match.A prolonged rain break of nearly two-and-a-half hours forced officials to review Bangladesh’s target under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method. Chasing 192 from 41 overs, the hosts comfortably reached 195 for 5 with six overs remaining, ensuring the series was theirs with one game remaining. The final ODI is scheduled to be played on Sunday at the same venue.
The result was built on another disciplined all-round performance from Bangladesh after the Australian batting line-up had suffered a disastrous start.
The visitors dropped their first three points without scoring a run, putting themselves under immediate pressure.Only resilient half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne and Xavier Bartlett helped Australia recover from the early collapse. Labuschagne remained unbeaten with 55, while Bartlett contributed 52 runs as Australia eventually scored 187 for 8 from their allotted 42 overs.Bangladesh made just one change to the side that won the opening ODI by 86 runs via the DLS method, bringing in opener Soumya Sarkar.
The move paid off as Sarkar scored 42 runs and shared a crucial partnership with Najm Hussain Shanto, who also scored 42 runs.After a shaky start, Shanto settled into his innings and along with Sarkar added 86 runs to put Bangladesh in control of the chase. Riley Meredith eventually broke the podium when Shanto fell behind, and the fast bowler delivered his first ODI wicket in five years after returning to the format.Despite being well placed, Bangladesh briefly faltered to 144 for 5 in the 27th over, giving Australia a glimmer of hope. But Tawhid Hridui and captain Mehidi Hassan Miraz nullified those hopes with a partnership that lasted 51 matches without defeat and led the hosts to the finish line. Hridoy remained out in 40 of the 55 deliveries.There was a worrying moment towards the end of the chase when Mehidi was hit on the helmet by a delivery from Nathan Ellis.
The Bangladesh captain knelt down and vomited on the field. Although he refused the offer of a stretcher and continued to strike, Shantou later revealed that Mehidi had been taken to hospital for observation after the match.Australia’s decision to bat initially backfired dramatically. Matthew Short registered his third ODI duck in a row, while Cooper Connolly and Matthew Renshaw also departed without scoring.
This was only the fourth occasion in ODI history that a team had lost their first three wickets before opening their account.Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed were the main architects of Australia’s collapse. Both players claimed three wickets each, with Mustafizur finishing with figures of 3 for 27 and Taskin returning 3 for 33. Mustafizur also took on Alex Carey, who was caught at point.The situation worsened for Australia when skipper Josh Inglis was dismissed, leaving the visiting team struggling at 68 for 5.Labuschagne, batting at No. 7, then combined with Bartlett to start the recovery. The pair added 103 runs for the sixth wicket and gave Australia something to play for after looking destined for a much lower total. Labuschagne’s innings was particularly significant as it marked his maiden ODI half-century in 14 innings. He also enjoyed an early reprieve when Tanveer Islam missed the stumps with a run-out attempt while the batsman was only on one.However, in the end, Bangladesh’s batting depth and composure under pressure proved decisive as they registered a historic ODI series victory over Australia.