Bangladesh dismantle Australia with spin to take 1-0 lead

Four years ago, Bangladesh won their first Test match against Australia. Today, they have done the same in T20Is. The script has been the same in both, haunt the Aussies with spin. It was a common understanding that they are short of a defendable target when they finished at 131. However, they exploited Australia's frailty against spin to full effect. They picked three wickets in the first 13 balls, a wicket every over and then kept their foot on the opposition's throat. Bangladesh now lead the five-match series 1-0. 

Nasum Ahmed, the left-arm spinner, returned career-best figures of 4-19 to help Bangladesh dismiss the visitors for 108. Mustafizur Rahman and fellow left-arm quick Shoriful Islam took two wickets each at the back end to play key roles in their team's maiden T20 win over Australia in five attempts. This is the first bilateral series between the two sides with the previous four meetings coming in the various editions of the T20 World Cup.

"We had a team talk during the halfway stage and said that we were 10 runs short, so we have to field well and put more effort," skipper Mahmudullah Riyad said after the win. "That's what you need while defending low totals and have attacking mindset. They are a very good side and we need to tick the boxes we failed today in the coming games."

Mitchell Marsh made a valiant 45 but the away batting faltered from the start with Alex Carey bowled first ball to spinner Mahedi Hasan. Marsh tried to get the chase on track with few partnerships including a 38-run fourth-wicket stand with skipper Matthew Wade, who made 13. Mitchell Starc was the only other Australian batsmen to manage double figures before he was bowled for 14 on the last ball of the match.

Earlier, pace bowler Josh Hazlewood returned figures of 3-24 in Bangladesh's 131-7 after Australia elected to bowl first. Starc took two wickets.

Shakib Al Hasan, who survived two dropped chances on 18 and 23, top-scored with 36 off 33 balls before being bowled by Hazlewood in the 17th over. Opener Mohammad Naim (30), Mahmudullah (20) and Afif Hossain (23 not out) also contributed with the bat.

"I thought the bowlers did a terrific job to restrict them to 130," said Wade.

"But having lost 3 for 10, me and Marsh tried to resurrect the innings but unfortunately we couldn't do that. We have to find ways to score runs on such pitches."

The second T20 is on Wednesday at the same venue.