POST MATCH ANALYSIS
Follow UsBangladesh vs Australia has always been a one-sided affair, more so in World Cups and this was set to be no different especially after Australia put on 381, thanks to a superb century from David Warner. Despite losing the match, Bangladesh can hold their head high after giving the defending champions a run for their money.
All teams have been circumspect in the first powerplay of this edition of the World Cup and today was no different. Australia, who have been scoring at well under 5 in overs 1 to 10, did not alter their game, even though it was against a Bangladesh side, who have the worst bowling strike-rate (91.6) in the first phase after Afghanistan (100). At Trent Bridge, scores in excess of 350 have been achieved with ease in the past and with the sort of platform Australia set for themselves, it looked on.
Going into this match, David Warner had the highest average (70.3) and the least strike rate (77.0) in 2019 among Australian batsmen in the World Cup. Warner was not given room outside off, but made the best use of the rare loose deliveries. Right from the IPL, Warner is happy to absorb the pressure early on and then score freely once he is set. That is what his approach has been this World Cup. Aaron Finch on the other hand looked a tad impatient and wanted to score at a brisk pace. The duo brought up their 50-run stand in the 10th over and more importantly, they brought it up without the loss of a wicket. Phase One belonged to Australia. After all, they have not lost a single wicket in the powerplay in 5 out of their last 6 innings.
It was puzzling to see Mashrafe Mortaza to keep bowling through the powerplay despite the fact that he had not picked up a single wicket in the first powerplay this World Cup. Shakib Al Hasan, who had picked up two wickets at an economy rate of under 5, bowled just one over in that period.
Australia were ticking along well, with Warner reaching his fifty off 55 deliveries, while Finch brought up his fifty off 47. An inspired bowling change in the form of Soumya Sarkar, who had picked up just one ODI wicket at 138, got the wicket of Finch in his very first over.
Bangladesh also had Mehidy Hasan bowling at one end. Since 2018, he has been prolific in the middle overs, where he has a strike-rate of 57.2 against right-handers, while against lefties, he picks up a wicket every 28.2 deliveries. With Usman Khawaja having scored just 98 from five innings before this match, he would have been the likely victim.
But the partnership between Warner and Khawaja blossomed and Warner brought up his hundred off 110 deliveries as Australia looked set to get a huge score on the board. Warner scored his first fifty off 55 and incidentally, his next fifty too came in the same amount of deliveries, showing how well he has paced his innings. Khawaja and Warner had put on over 100 at better than run-a-ball, but they needed someone like Glenn Maxwell, when they were 230 for 1 from 38 overs, to take them from a par score to a huge total.
Khawaja brought up his fifty exactly at run-a-ball. He then took on Mustafizur Rahman in the 42nd over, scoring four fours in that over. Warner got to his 150 off just 139 deliveries – going from 100 to 150 in a matter of just 29 deliveries – and looked set to get a double as Australia had cruised past 300 in the 44th over with 9 wickets to spare. Things were looking ominous for Bangladesh to say the least, who, despite getting rid of Warner for 166 off 147, had to play out of their skin to get close to Australia’s total. Australia were going at less than six till the end of 37 overs, but Bangladesh just did not have the bowlers to close it out for them.
Maxwell’s run-out for a maddening 10-ball 32 saw Marcus Stoinis walk out with Khawaja eyeing his third century of the year, but he edged one to the wicketkeeper, to give Soumya Sarkar (Yes, SOUMYA SARKAR) his third wicket. After a brief rain interruption, Australia managed a mammoth 381 for 5. They had scored 131 runs in the last 10 overs, which is the second most this tournament after England smashed 142 against Afghanistan.
Bangladesh were dished out a similar treatment in the final 10 overs against England, when the conceded 111 in the final powerplay.
The pitch was not under the covers for long enough for the pace bowlers to reap benefits from it. But Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins with the form they are in seldom need much help from the track as their pace and accuracy can lead to the undoing of many quality batsmen. However, Bangladesh have been scoring at 5.29 in the opening 10 overs, but given the target, they would have wanted a better start, but it was Australia who drew first blood when a brilliant direct hit from Finch saw Sarkar dismissed for just 10. Australia got Maxwell into the attack early as there were two left-handed batsmen – Tamim and Shakib – at the crease.
Although Maxwell has not picked up a single wicket this World Cup, he has succeeded in keeping the left-handers quiet, conceding at 5.48 against them compared to 7.02 against the right-handed batsmen. However, the trick did not work as Shakib and Tamim took him for 25 runs in his first three overs.
The fast bowlers deployed a short ball tactic against Bangladesh, but Aussies have conceded over 8 an over and have picked up just 4 wickets. Better sense prevailed as Marcus Stoinis’ clever off-cutter got rid of Shakib for run-a-ball 41, top-edging one to Warner at mid-off.
Liton Das – fresh from an excellent knock against West Indies – was given a wake up call after Starc struck him on the head immediately. However, he continued from where he left off, but his innings was cut short after he was trapped in front by Adam Zampa.
In terms of runs, Bangladesh were ahead of Australia till the end of the 30th over, but they had lost three wickets more and they still had to negotiate 12 overs of Starc, Cummins and Nathan Coulter-Nile; and they had to score at over 10 an over from that point. For Bangladesh to get close, Mushfiqur Rahim, who was well set at that point needed to bat through and had to hope for Mahmudullah and Sabbir Rahman to play their parts too.
Bangladesh could not accelerate the way Australia did in the last 15 overs or so and as a result, fell short of their target. But they will however take confidence from the fact that they managed to register back-to-back scores of 300-plus (333) in their last two matches. A 127-run stand between Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur gave a glimmer of hope, but Coulter-Nile’s twin strikes, first Mahmudullah for a 50-ball 69, followed by Sabbir for a golden duck ensured that Australia put the final nail in the coffin. Mushfiqur played a valiant knock and remained unbeaten on 102 off 97 deliveries.
