Australia survive Mustafizur scare to end win drought

DHAKA - Fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman again threatened to snatch the match from the jaws of defeat but Australia held the nerve to end their win drought in Bangladesh tour after a hard-fought three-wicket victory in the fourth T20 International at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today.

Bangladesh, who had already wrapped up the five-match series, following the victory in the first three matches, were restricted to 104-9, their lowest total against Australia.

But they made Australia toiling before conceding the defeat, thanks to an incredible bowling of Mustafizur Rahman, who continued baffling the Aussies with his cutter and slower deliveries to finish on unbelievable 4-1-9-2.

Australia however sealed the deal with an over to spare, making 105-7 in 19 overs and made it 3-1.

The Tigers’ previous lowest total against Australia was 114 all out in the 2010 T20 World Cup.

But they were under threat of being restricted to below 100 in the match after their captain Mahmudullah Riyad decided to bat first.

A 16 ball 23 runs that included one six and one four from Mahedi Hasan helped them go past the 100 runs mark.

Bangladesh started the last over with 90-7 and it looked unlikely that they could propel the score past 100. However, Mahedi struck Andrew Tye a four and six in consecutive deliveries to quell the uncertainty.

Tye got two wickets in a row in the last two deliveries including Mahedi to resist Bangladesh progress further.

Opener Mohammad Naim was the top-scorer for the side with 28 off 36, hitting two fours. He batted till the 15th over before being the fifth batsman out. The pitch was so low that all Bangladeshi batsmen struggled to play their stroke here.

Shakib took 26 balls to score his 15. Afif Hossain was the other notable scorer for the side with 17 ball-20. A total of three batsmen however were departed with duck.

The wrecker-in-chief for Bangladesh was leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson who registered his career-best 3-12 in four overs and caused havoc in Bangladesh’s top order. He was ably supported by pacer Andrew Tye who also took three wickets and Josh Hazlewood continued his good form with 2-24.

With limited resources on the board, Bangladesh still created a chance to make it 4-0, reducing Australia to 65-6 in the 11th over.

But Ashton Agar and Ashton Turner batted sensibly to help the side overhaul the target with six balls remaining. Agar was key, making run-a-ball-27 with two fours and one six.

After adding match-changing 34-run with Turner, Agar was dismissed by fast bowler Shoriful Islam when the side was six runs away from the victory.

Turner was on 9 with Tye on 4 when Australia finally sealed the victory.

Offspinner Mahedi Hasan broke through in the first over, dismissing captain Matthew Wade (2). But Dan Christian appeared to seal the victory with ease when he struck Shakib Al Hasan five sixes in his one over.

The arrival of fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman shifted the momentum towards Bangladesh as he got immediate success, removing Christian after he struck 39 off 15 with one four and five sixes.

Australia for the fourth consecutive time in the series failed to deal with Mustafizur’s cutter and slower deliveries.

Mustafizur baffled Alex Carey (1) with a slower cutter before Mahedi and left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed made further inroads.   

But the five sixes by Christian early in the innings proved to be the turning point of the game at the end and Christian was adjudged man of the match.

Mahedi Hasan ended with 2-17 and Nasum Ahmed took 1-17. Shakib was expensive and went wicket-less after giving away 50 runs in his four overs.BSS