Tuesday 1 April 2014 14:27, UK
A typically quick-fire 71 from Aaron Finch saw Australia finish their World Twenty20 campaign on a high as they comfortably chased down Bangladesh’s total of 153, three wickets down with 2.3 overs to spare.
The tournament hosts, who like Australia had already been eliminated from semi-final contention, had recovered from 12-2 early on to post a respectable score, largely thanks to a partnership of 112 between Shakib Al Hasan and captain Mushfiqur Rahim.
However, after both batsmen fell in consecutive overs a late charge was stopped in its tracks as Bangladesh finished on 153-5.
Twelve runs from the opening over of the innings set the tone for Australia’s chase and they reached 98 before David Warner was bowled by Al-Amin Hossain for 48 off 35 balls.
With Warner gone, Finch upped the ante and had hit seven fours and four maximums before he skied one off Hossain’s bowling having made 71 from 45 balls. Glenn Maxwell followed soon after before George Bailey sealed the win with a six over long off.
Bangladesh made three changes to the side that lost to Pakistan on Sunday as they brought in Sohag Gazi, Mominul Haque and 18-year-old seamer Taskin Ahmed, who made his debut, while Australia brought in Dan Christian and Nathan Coulter-Nile.
Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat at the Shere Bangla National Stadium but they suffered a disappointing start to their innings as they lost openers Tamim Iqbal and Anamul Haque early on as both fell victim to the bowling of Coulter-Nile.
Haque was the first to head back to the pavilion in the second over as he was caught out for a duck by Shane Watson, who took a simple catch at first slip.
Iqbal (5) survived two more overs before losing his wicket to a catch from Doug Bollinger. The Bangladesh batsman struck a low catch, where he found Bollinger at mid-off and departed the field with his head down to leave Bangladesh 12-2.
But Shakib and Rahim managed to turn things around for the tournament hosts as they impressed out in the middle, piling on the runs to prove their side would not bow out without a win here.
Bangladesh lost their captain for 47 runs from 36 balls - including five boundaries and one maximum - as he struck the ball aiming for a boundary, only to be caught out just in front by Glenn Maxwell off Watson's bowling to leave his side 124-3.
And Shakib (66) joined him in the next over a ball after hitting a four as Maxwell pulled off a great catch at deep midwicket off Bollinger's bowling.
That brought Nasir Hossain to the crease, who made 14 runs before seeing the innings out, losing his wicket on the last ball to Mitchell Starc as Bangladesh finished on 153-5.
In reply Australia came out strong as openers Finch and David Warner put on an opening partnership of 98 runs.
The Aussies lost their first wicket as Warner (48) was bowled by Al-Amin Hossain, who took out the middle stump to the delight of the home fans.
The Australia wickets looked like they might start to fall as they approached their total and Finch was next to go as he hit the ball high and wide for Nasir Hossain to make a diving catch in the outfield off Al-Amin Hossain's bowling, leaving Australia needing 29 runs off their last 19 balls.
Maxwell (5) was dismissed in the next over by Taskin Ahmed, who hit his stumps before Cameron White (18) and Australia captain George Bailey (11), who hit a four and a six off the last two balls, saw the Australia innings out for a consolation win.
