T20 World Cup, Super 8s, Antigua
Bangladesh: 140-8 (20 overs) - Shanto 41 (36); Cummins 3-29
Australia: 100-2 (11.2 overs) - Warner 53 (35); Rishad 2-23
Australia won by 28 runs (DLS)
Australia maintained their perfect record at the T20 World Cup with a 28-run victory over Bangladesh, thanks to a hat-trick from Pat Cummins. Utilising the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, the match was cut short due to rain in Antigua.
Bangladesh, after being restricted to 140-8, saw Australia chase down 100-2 in 11.2 overs, propelled by David Warner's unbeaten 53 off 35 balls before rain forced an early conclusion.
Pat Cummins joined Brett Lee as the only Australians to achieve a T20 World Cup hat-trick. Cummins dismissed Mahmudullah and Mahedi Hasan consecutively in the 18th over, and completed his hat-trick by catching Towhid Hridoy from the first ball of the 20th over.
Najmul Hossain Shanto was the top scorer for Bangladesh with 41 runs, followed by Towhid Hridoy's 40 off 28 balls, which provided some stability to their innings. Adam Zampa continued his impressive form, securing 2-24 and breaking the crucial partnership between Shanto and Litton Das, who had put together 58 runs for the second wicket.
However, Bangladesh's total fell short of competitive, and Australia’s openers quickly took control. Warner and Travis Head set the tone with a solid 65-run stand. Although Rishad Hossain struck twice after a brief rain delay, slowing Australia’s advance momentarily, Warner’s composed half-century ensured Australia stayed on course. The match ended when rain returned, solidifying Australia's victory under the DLS method.
Australia’s Commanding Performance
From the outset, Australia dominated the match. Mitchell Starc set the tone by dismissing Tanzid Hasan with the third ball of the match, surpassing Lasith Malinga's record for the most wickets (95) across men's T20 and 50-over World Cups.
Despite a 58-run partnership between Shanto and Das, Bangladesh struggled against Australia's seasoned bowling attack. Zampa’s intervention and Cummins' devastating hat-trick sealed Bangladesh’s fate, preventing any significant recovery.
Cummins' performance was pivotal as he ensured Bangladesh couldn’t capitalise in the final overs. Mahmudullah and Mahedi Hasan fell in quick succession, followed by Hridoy’s dismissal, leaving Bangladesh reeling.
During the chase, Warner and Head’s aggressive start neutralised any pressure. Rishad Hossain’s two quick wickets after a rain interruption briefly raised Bangladesh's hopes, but Warner, dropped on five earlier, regained control. He reached his half-century with a six before the final downpour concluded the game.
Australia now sits at the top of Group 1, alongside India, each with two points. They will face Afghanistan next on Sunday (01:30 BST). Meanwhile, Bangladesh will take on India on Saturday (15:30 BST).
Reactions from the Match
Pat Cummins: The Australian bowler admitted he had forgotten about the hat-trick until he saw it displayed on the screen. Reflecting on his achievement, he remarked, "I’ve taken a few in junior cricket but never for Australia. It’s pretty awesome to be able to join the club."
Mitchell Marsh: Australia’s captain praised the team’s collective effort, saying, "A really solid bowling performance, everyone chipped in. We’ve always spoken about having 15 guys who can take us deep in this World Cup, and we will pick teams based on conditions."
Najmul Hossain Shanto: The Bangladesh captain acknowledged their need to take more risks against a team of Australia’s calibre. He commented, "The wicket looked very, very good. A bit slow, but I think we should have scored at least 170. Playing against this kind of team, we had to take risks. We couldn't execute but we tried something different today."