Spirited Bangladesh ended their World Cup 2023 campaign with an eight-wicket loss to Pat Cummins’ Australia at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on November 11. Mitchell Marsh was the wrecker-in-chief in the run chase with an unbeaten 177-run knock. In the absence of Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell, Bangladesh set a target of 307 against the five-time champions which was chased down with 32 balls to spare. This was also Australia’s highest-ever run chase in World Cups.
Cummins won the toss and opted to field first. He opened the bowling in Starc's absence and was off-target. Bangladesh openers got their side off to a positive start. Tanzid Hasan was closing in on a half-century but Sean Abbott provided the breakthrough. Abbott took the catch off his own bowling. The southpaw scored 36 runs from 34 balls including six fours in the 76-run partnership. Stand-in captain Najmul Hossain Shanto started well. Cummins gave Litton Das a second chance by dropping his catch off Adam Zampa's bowling in the 15th over. Das did not make Cummins regret the dropped catch for long as he was dismissed in Zampa's next over. He scored 36 runs from 45 balls including five fours.
Shanto and Towhid Hridoy carried the momentum in the middle overs. Hridoy did not let spinners settle and took the aerial route often. The partnership came to an end in the 28th over. Shanto got run out as Marnus Labuschagne was quick to get to the ball and throw it to Josh Inglis. Shanto missed out on his half-century and scored 45 runs from 57 balls. Mahmdullah went on a six-hitting spree as Bangladesh crossed the 200-run mark in the 32nd over. Mahmudullah got run out as well. He tested Labuschagne and did not survive. He scored 32 runs from 28 balls.
Hridoy got to his half-century from 61 balls in the 39th over. Zampa struck again to dismiss Mushfiqur Rahim. He scored 21 runs from 24 balls. In the 47th over, Marcus Stoinis ended Hridoy's stay at the crease. He scored 74 runs from 79 balls including five fours and two sixes. Mehidy Hasan Miraz contributed with a cameo of 20-ball 29 before becoming Abbott's second victim of the day. In another runout, Nasum Ahmed was dismissed for a single-digit score. Abbott finished well as Bangladesh posted 306/8.
In the run chase, Travis Head went for a slog and inside-edged it to his stumps. Head scored just runs before becoming Taskin Ahmed's first scalp. Marsh made his intentions known early by hitting Mahedi Hasan for three fours in the fourth over. He took on Taskin as well while David Warner took his time to settle. Marsh reached his half-century from just 37 balls. In the 19th over, Warner completed his half-century from 52 balls. Mustafizur Rahman broke the partnership in the 23rd over. The opener scored 53 runs from 61 balls including six fours. Steve Smith on his return was cautious in the middle overs. Marsh reached his century from 87 balls in the 31st over.
Marsh continued to hit big and cleared boundaries with ease. In the 40th over, he reached his 150 from back-to-back boundaries. Smith completed his half-century from 55 balls. There were not enough runs left for Marsh to equal Glenn Maxwell's feat of scoring a double century in a run chase. He remained unbeaten for 177 off 132 balls including 17 fours and nine sixes. Smith ended the run chase with a boundary. He scored 63 runs from 64 balls featuring four fours and a six. Australia won the match by eight wickets with 32 balls to spare. Marsh broke Virender Sehwag's record for highest individual score against Bangladesh in World Cups. The only silver lining for Bangladesh was that they qualified for the Champions Trophy 2025.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
Legendary Sir Viv Richards offers huge advice to Team India on how to deal with 'fears of a bad game in the semi-final'
Rahul Dravid whole-heartedly praises Rohit Sharma, reveals Indian captain's impact on team's performance in World Cup
