Thanks for following the OBO live coverage as Australia beat Bangladesh by 28 runs (DLS method).
We’ll be back again for Australia’s second Super Eight match when they face Afghanistan at 10:30am AEST on Sunday, and when Bangladesh meet India earlier the same day.
For now, catch up on the report from Australia’s win over Bangladesh that was just enough to lift the 2021 champions to top spot in Group 1:
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Australia captain Mitch Marsh looks suitably pleased without daring to show a hint of getting carried away. “I thought it was a really solid bowling performance, everyone chipped in,” Marsh said.
But the all-rounder was reluctant to be drawn on whether the starting XI from today would be preferred throughout the rest of the Super Eight stage and beyond. “I think it’s a very good playing XI,” he said. “We’ve spoken throughout the tournament that we think we’ve got 15 guys here that can take us deep in the tournament, and we’ll pick guys based on the conditions.”
Here are the match highlights as Australia beat Bangladesh by 28 runs (DLS method):
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Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto laments his side falling 30 runs short of their target with the bat.
“The wicket looks very, very good,” Najmul said. “A bit slow but I think we should have scored at least 170.”
“It was very important today that all the top order got some runs, that is where we struggled in the last couple of matches. I hope the bowlers can continue their good form and we look forward to playing India.”
Pat Cummins is named player of the match after taking just the seventh hat-trick in men’s T20 World Cups.
“I had no idea,” Cummins says with a smile, about whether he knew he was on a hat-trick with the first ball of Bangladesh’s 20th over.
“To end the [19th] over, I saw it come up on the screen, so I thought ‘I’ll make sure I remember’, but I totally forgot about it.”
Cummins says that is his first hat-trick for Australia.
“A few [hat-tricks] in juniors but never for Australia. Ashton Agar and Nathan Ellis both have T20 hat-tricks, both on the bench today but I’ve joined their club.
“It’s pretty awesome to tick that off, the boys are welcoming me into their club, it’s a good club to be part of.”
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Australia beat Bangladesh by 28 runs (DLS method)
Australia have been repaid for the fast start that openers David Warner and Travis Head put together in the run chase. That was enough to send Australia down the path to being 28 runs in front of Bangladesh’s comparative DLS score of 72 at the 11.2 over mark.
The 2021 champions start their latest Super Eight campaign with a victory as well as a healthy boost to their net run-rate which lands on 2.47. That nudges Australia ahead of India on a NRR of 2.35 and to the top of Group 1.
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The rain has settled in a touch more now in Antigua, and we’ve started to lose overs in the clash between Australia and Bangladesh.
As it stands, Australia are 100-2 from 11.2 overs and 28 runs ahead of Bangladesh’s DLS-adjusted score of 72.
Bangladesh’s emerging spinner Rishad Hossain struck twice between the two rain delays to breathe new life into the contest, although Australia remain in control especially with David Warner undefeated on 53.
Let’s hope we see more action soon, if only because it was just starting to feel like there is much more to play out.
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For those that have been with us from the start or are now just catching up – after we all enjoyed the latest rendition of the Bangladesh national anthem, the question came through from Showbizguru on which nation has the longest song.
Showbizguru has been kind enough to do their own research, and now it might be over to fact-checkers to confirm or deny: “So I checked. Because no-one else appears to give a monkeys. But at 2:45 the Bangladesh national anthem is officially the longest in the world.”
The rain has returned and the players scamper again from the field.
Australia are now 100-2 from 11.2 overs, with 41 more to get for victory.
Warner reaches half-century
The 37-year-old opener brings up his fifty in style with a six over square leg. Warner has taken 34 balls to notch the milestone for the 29th time in 108 T20I innings, this time with five boundaries and three sixes.
11th over: Australia 93-2 (Warner 46, Maxwell 14): That is a ridiculous reverse sweep from David Warner and it deserved more than just four. The ball pitched well outside leg-stump but the left-hander spun around to knock it away to the boundary. A sublime stroke! Maxwell swats a six over long on then targets the same region again but can only add two more.
10th over: Australia 80-2 (Warner 41, Maxwell 6): Maxwell shows no signs of being a batter in need of runs at this tournament as he punches a drive to the boundary. Warner joins the fun and continues to look comfortable as he sits back on his heels to pull for four. The players are skipping drinks now, after the rain delay less than four overs ago.
9th over: Australia 70-2 (Warner 36, Maxwell 1): Young leg-spinner Rishad Hossain has added a spark to this contest with two wickets in two overs, and now has nine scalps at the tournament even while just learning his craft at the age of 21.
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WICKET! Australia 69-2 (Marsh lbw b Rishad 1)
You get one, you get two – another for Rishad as the Australia captain again misses out. Marsh goes down on one knee to sweep but misses at a fuller ball and it thuds into his knee-roll. The umpire is quick to raise the finger but Marsh reviews. Ball-tracking shows it was brushing the outside of leg-stump and umpire’s call has Bangladesh nudging Australia back towards the ropes.
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8th over: Australia 66-1 (Warner 34, Marsh 0): Mahedi Hasan bowls out his fourth over and again works away at a good line. Warner picks up the only run with a cut shot, while Mahedi finishes with an impressive 0-22.
7th over: Australia 65-1 (Warner 33, Marsh 0): Rishad gets the much-needed breakthrough, sending Head on his way for 31. The Australia skipper comes to the crease and is due a few runs, but for now closely watches the one delivery he faces.
WICKET! Australia 65-1 (Head b Rishad 31)
The rain delay has disrupted Australia’s flow and Rishad takes full advantage. The leg-spinner gets a ball outside off to grip, Head is undeterred and takes a swipe at it but misses and loses his off-stump.
Play resumes with Australia needing 77 more runs
Warner and Head are back at the crease after a frustrating rain delay that had the covers coming on, off, on and off again.
The 21-year-old leg-spinner Rishad Hossain picks up where he left off with four balls remaining in the over.
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There was a glimmer of hope that play would resume soon as the covers were removed, but just as they passed the rope the rain returned and the grounds people were called back into action.
Australia’s one-two punch of Warner and Head have mostly kept pace with each other, the veteran scoring 32 from 18 balls while his opening partner has 31 from 20.
Both Warner and Head have hit three fours and a pair of sixes – here are all four maximums from the duo so far:
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The covers are on. Rain has been threatening to interrupt this Super Eight clash since the toss was delayed but had held off appearing during play until now.
Australia are 64-0 after 6.2 overs, and 29 runs ahead of the required 35 under the DLS thanks to an imperious powerplay from Warner and Head.
6th over: Australia 59-0 (Warner 28, Head 30): Australia bring up their 50 without loss as their openers look like making light work of this run case. Mahedi had almost sent down another neat over until the last ball is a horrible half-tracker that Warner treats with disdain as he rocks back and smacks it over mid-wicket for six.
At the end of the powerplay, Australia need 82 more runs with all 10 wickets still in hand.
5th over: Australia 49-0 (Warner 20, Head 29): Mustafizur takes his first turn with the ball but the outcome is much the same. After four balls of the left-armer varying his deliveries, Head sends an over-pitched one straight back over the bowler’s head for a monstrous six. The left-hander gives himself room for the next ball, upper cutting it to take one bounce over the boundary.
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4th over: Australia 36-0 (Warner 18, Head 18): Bangladesh bring their main strike bowler Taskin Ahmed into the attack, a smart move in trying to prevent the Australia openers getting too far away from them. The first ball breaks 140 km/h, but Warner has little trouble crunching the next past mid-on to the boundary. Head finds four more through mid-off, sending Taskin to finish the over bowling around the wicket. Head watches the first coming from that angle then refuses to be cramped up, stepping back to pull a thunderous shot over mid-wicket for six.
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3rd over: Australia 21-0 (Warner 13, Head 8): SIX! Warner slog sweeps a ball that drifted down the leg side and it sails over deep midwicket for the first maximum of the Australia innings. A tidy over from Mahedi from there.
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2nd over: Australia 14-0 (Warner 6, Head 8): WARNER DROPPED! Bangladesh turn to pace with Tanzim Hasan handed the ball. The Australia veteran slices away to point, the ball flying straight to a fielder but it dips late and tumbles out of fingertips. A quick single brings Head on strike and he is straight onto the front foot with back-to-back twos then a punishing drive for four.
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1st over: Australia 5-0 (Warner 5, Head 0): Bangladesh follow England’s lead to test Australia early with spin, but as in the group stage it fails to do much more than prevent an onslaught of runs. David Warner picks up a boundary with a tasty reverse sweep after taking all of one ball to get his eye in.
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David Warner takes strike as the recalled Mahedi Hasan prepares to start the Australia innings with off-spin to the left-handed opening pair.
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Pat Cummins claimed Australia’s second-ever hat-trick in men’s T20 World Cups.
It had to be spread across two separate overs, but here are the three deliveries back-to-back-to-back:
Taskin Ahmed looks keen to take the new ball for Bangladesh as the Australia openers stride out to start the run chase.
The Bangladesh speedster is a personal fave, full of fire and brimstone as he charges in, then launching into a guttural cry in moments of celebration. Let’s hope Taskin can take a wicket or two today, not only to spice up the contest, but also for the photos we can drop in here.
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Pat Cummins’ hat-trick might have overshadowed Mitchell Starc’s fast start today, but the left-armer has already proven himself in white-ball tournaments over the years.
Starc now has the most wickets from ODI and T20 World Cups combined.
Starc Supreme ⚡️
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) June 21, 2024
Details: https://t.co/QxJtsZHo8W pic.twitter.com/Y1IFJYP5Ni
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Bangladesh set Australia 141-run target
Bangladesh finish on 140-8 with unbeated duo Taskin Ahmed on 13 and Tanzim Hasan on four. Pat Cummins started the last over of the innings by wrapping up a hat-trick, then Bangladesh couldn’t find a way to get the star quick away and had to settle for ones and twos.
Cummins finished with 3-29 but it was Adam Zampa (2-24) that picked up the crucial wickets whenever Bangladesh looked like gaining the momentum.
Najmul Hossain Shanto picked the ideal time to make his first real contribution with the bat at this T20 World Cup, the skipper compiling 41 from 26 balls with five fours and a six. Towhid Hridoy added 40 from 28 from the middle-order to ensure Bangladesh set Australia a testing target thought it is one Zampa is confident they can chase down.
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HAT-TRICK! Bangladesh 133-8 (Hridoy c Hazlewood b Cummins 40)
Pat Cummins takes just the seventh hat-trick in men’s T20 World Cups and the second for Australia, after Brett Lee also claimed three-in-three against Bangladesh.
Towhid Hridoy played his part with a ramp shot that went over the keeper and straight to Hazlewood to grasp the simple catch.
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19th over: Bangladesh 133-7 (Hridoy 40, Taskin 10): Taskin Ahmed shows how it can be done, picking the gaps for three twos then dispatching an attempted yorker from Hazlewood away for four.
18th over: Bangladesh 122-7 (Hridoy 39, Taskin 0): Bangladesh find it hard to get Cummins away as the pressure builds until he finishes with two wickets.
WICKET! Bangladesh 122-7 (Mahedi c Zampa b Cummins 0)
Mahedi Hasan isn’t hanging around as he swings wildly at his first ball but it flies straight to Adam Zampa on the boundary at third man.
Pat Cummins is on a hat-trick and will have a chance to claim it if he is handed the ball to close out the innings.
WICKET! Bangladesh 122-6 (Mahmudullah b Cummins 2)
Mahmudullah tries to pull a good length ball but can only drag it onto his stumps.
17th over: Bangladesh 117-5 (Hridoy 35, Mahmudullah 1): Stoinis picks up the wicket of the dangerous Shakib and it is another veteran in Mahmudullah that comes to the crease. He immediately finds a single to hand the strike to the set batter in Towhid Hridoy. It is back-to-back sixes for Hridoy as Bangladesh look to respond. The first is a slog to cow corner, with the next a more traditional, stylish shot that goes square.
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WICKET! Bangladesh 103-5 (Shakib c & b Stoinis 8)
Shakib Al Hasan tries to nip one off his pads but the ball holds up and the Bangladesh veteran is through his shot before it takes a leading edge. That looked to be a crafty leg-cutter from Stoinis and he calls to claim the catch.
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16th over: Bangladesh 103-4 (Hridoy 22, Shakib 8): A tame over for Bangladesh as they pass 100 but need to get motoring now. It is easier said than done against Hazlewood as the pacer works away at his preferred line and length.
15th over: Bangladesh 98-4 (Hridoy 19, Shakib 6): Zampa bowls out his last over and Bangladesh initially look to be waiting to see the back of the leg-spinner. Shakib Al-Hasan gives Australia a half chance as he steps back to dab over Maxwell at mid-off but it falls safely for a single. Hridoy faces the last ball of Zampa’s spell and smacks it away for four. It is just the third Bangladesh boundary in six overs, as Zampa finishes with 2-24.
14th over: Bangladesh 89-4 (Hridoy 14, Shakib 2): Cummins back into the attack as the Bangladesh duo are happy picking up singles as they look to quickly rebuild.
13th over: Bangladesh 84-4 (Hridoy 12, Shakib 0): No surprise that it is Adam Zampa that picks up another crucial breakthrough, this time the Bangladesh batter that was set. But Towhid Hridoy has made a promising start, including a devastating blow that raced away for four over midwicket.
WICKET! Bangladesh 84-4 (Najmul lbw b Zampa 41)
The Bangladesh skipper is down on one knee to sweep but misses a fuller delivery that pitches between middle and leg. The ball strikes him under the knee roll and that looks absolutely plumb! The umpire agrees to send Najmul on his way and he doesn’t even bother to review. A correct call from both parties in the end.
12th over: Bangladesh 79-3 (Najmul 41, Hridoy 7): A neat over from Maxwell as Bangladesh play it safe with preservation in mind after a couple of quick wickets. But with seven wickets in hand and only eight overs remaining it is properly time to put the foot down if they want to reach a competitive total.
11th over: Bangladesh 72-3 (Najmul 40, Hridoy 1): Mitchell Starc bowls out his fourth over and it is a quality one as the left-armer tightens up against both batters and finishes with a tidy 1-21.
10th over: Bangladesh 67-3 (Najmul 39, Hridoy 0): Bangladesh were able to keep the score ticking over as Glenn Maxwell takes the ball. That was until Rishad Hossain lifted his head and sliced a simple catch to Zampa from the last delivery before DRINKS!
WICKET! Bangladesh 67-3 (Rashid c Zampa b Maxwell 2)
A short stay at the crease for Rishad Hossain after being moved up the order with a view to lifting the run rate. Rishad danced down the pitch but was in all sorts as the ball took a thick edge and went straight to Zampa standing near gully just inside the circle.
9th over: Bangladesh 60-2 (Najmul 33, Rishad 1): Zampa turns the contest ever soi slightly back in Australia’s favour with the dismissal of Litton Das. But the Bangladesh skipper Najmul continues to look comfortable as he is joined by Rishad Hossain.
WICKET! Bangladesh 58-2 (Litton b Zampa 16)
The Australia leg-spinner breaks the 58-run stand as he finds a way through Litton Das. The Bangladesh opener swung hard with a sweep but was all but through his shot before realising that it was a straighter delivery that brushes the back leg then takes out his stumps.
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8th over: Bangladesh 57-1 (Litton 16, Najmul 31): A triple change for Australia as the freshly crowned No 1-ranked T20I all-rounder Marcus Stoinis takes his turn with the ball. The pacer almost picks up a much-needed breakthrough as Najmul slices a cut only just out of reach of a leaping Matthew Wade to bounce away for four. Najmul and Litton have worked through the gears in what has now become a 50-plus run stand.
7th over: Bangladesh 47-1 (Litton 15, Najmul 23): Australia turn to Adam Zampa with the powerplay done. The leg-spinner has been Australia’s leading wicket-taker at the tournament so far with nine scalps, but Najmul shows him little respect as he pulls a ball that pitches only a touch short away through midwicket to the boundary. Bangladesh are picking up more singles now as well, as they start to work their way on top.
6th over: Bangladesh 39-1 (Litton 13, Najmul 18): Pat Cummins comes into the attack for the last over of the powerplay and starts with a wide. Najmul lofts a ball off his pads and away to deep mid-on for a boundary, then only has to duck under a wild delivery from Cummins that escapes keeper Wade’s outstretched hand to race away for five wides. Australia let Bangladesh climb off the ropes a little there, with 22 from the past two overs as they finish the powerplay on 39-1.
5th over: Bangladesh 27-1 (Litton 12, Najmul 13): Litton picks up his first boundary of the innings with a sublime pull shot even after Starc knocked the ball in at a good length. The opener follows up with a drive through cover for two, then a thick edge that narrowly avoids Warner standing deep behind slip but races away for four to make it 10 off the over.
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4th over: Bangladesh 17-1 (Litton 2, Najmul 13): SIX! Najmul opens up with the shot of the day thus far, dancing down the wicket and smacking Hazlewood back over his head for a momentous maximum. But the Australian quick has Litton Das under his thumb as the right-handed batter has to turn to searching for creative ways to try to get Hazlewood away. The Bangladesh opener picks up a leg bye from a delivery that crashes into him, but is otherwise finding the going tough with two runs from 12 balls faced.
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3rd over: Bangladesh 8-1 (Litton 1, Najmul 6): The typical highs and lows of Mitchell Starc are on show, after he started the match with a wicket in the opening over then follows up with what can kindly be described as a loosener to start his second. Bangladesh find a couple of easy singles then give Australia half a chance of a run out from the final delivery but Najmul scampers home at the bowler’s end.
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2nd over: Bangladesh 4-1 (Litton 0, Najmul 4): After six balls of Starc mixing up his line and length, Josh Hazlewood does the opposite as the right-armer immediately finds then sticks to his preferred spot just outside off-stump. A maiden to Litton Das.
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1st over: Bangladesh 4-1 (Litton 0, Najmul 4): Mitchell Starc gives Australia a dream start with the early wicket of Tanzid Hasan then testing Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto with a trademark yorker. Najmul blazes the last ball of the over through point to the boundary to get his side off the mark.
WICKET! Bangladesh 0-1 (Tanzid b Starc 0)
Mitchell Starc pitches the ball up at an awkward length and Tanzid Hasan is unsure whether to play forward or back. The Bangladesh opener elects for the latter and it proves a mistake as the ball crashes into the stumps.
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It was a short rain delay then a lean-back rendition of the Bangladesh national anthem which didn’t go unnoticed by Showbizguru:
“Don’t get me wrong, I love the Bangladesh national anthem, but was that the special collectors vinyl-edition extended play ? Either way it was bloomin’ marvellous.”
“But is it the longest national anthem?”
One to ponder throughout the next few hours. But for now, Mitchell Starc is tossing the new ball between his hands and it is Game On!
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Bangladesh XI
Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das (wk), Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Shakib, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman.
One change for Bangladesh as Mahedi Hasan comes into the XI for Jaker Ali.
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Australia XI
David Warner, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (capt), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
Australia have backed their star pace trio to get the job done even on a deck expected to take plenty of spin, with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc into the XI at the expense of Nathan Ellis and Ashton Agar.
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Australia win the toss and elect to field
Mitch Marsh calls correctly and Australia will bowl first at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
In the 18 T20Is that have been played at the venue, 11 have been won by the team batting first. Not sure that narrow gap points to being the deciding factor today, but one that can’t hurt for Bangladesh as they look to beat Australia for the first time ever in an ICC event.
“It looks a decent wicket, I don’t think it will change much over the 40 overs,” Marsh said after winning the toss.
“It’s nice to get somewhat used to the conditions, we’ve played one game here. As tournament play gets deeper and deeper and the pressure rises, it’s all about being true to yourself.”
Najmul Hossain Shanto says that Bangladesh would have bowled first as well, but now it’s over to their batting line-up to set a competitive total.
“As a batting group we need to do something special in the Super Eight,” Najmul Hossain Shanto said. “It looks like a good wicket.
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The covers are off and we’re waiting for Mitch Marsh and Najmul Hossain Shanto to make their way to the middle for the toss and team news.
While you’re waiting, catch up on where we sit in Group 1 after all teams started the Super Eight stage with a clean slate with the match highlights from Afghanistan v India earlier today:
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Rain has started to fall moments before the captains were due to walk out at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium for the toss.
Ricky Ponting is braving the elements without an umbrella in the middle of the park, and the Australia side are out there continuing their warm up, so hopefully we won’t be too far away.
Form guide
While Australia navigated the group stage without loss, Bangladesh also made a bright start with a tense two-wicket victory over bitter rivals Sri Lanka, a narrow defeat by South Africa, then convincing wins against Netherlands and Nepal.
It has been a rapid – and somewhat surprising - turnaround since Najmul Hossain Shanto’s side suffered a 2-1 T20 series defeat by the USA in Houston last month. Their skipper is due some runs though, after only scoring 26 across four knocks at this tournament.
If Najmul misses out again, it isn’t clear which Bangladesh batter might step up with none compiling 100 runs at the tournament yet. Towhid Hridoy is the closest with 95 which has also come at their batters’ leading strike rate of 125.
On the other hand, Marcus Stoinis (156), Travis Head (148) and David Warner (116) have all reached a combined triple figures across four group stage matches, and Australia’s explosive top-order looms as the key weapon again today even as their middle-order has underperformed so far.
Australia have won all five of their T20 World Cup clashes with Bangladesh, including one on their way to the 2021 crown. The Asian nation at least took out a T20 bilateral series in Mirpur 4-1 in the months before Australia saluted in Dubai, but the stakes are much higher here.
Geoff Lemon likes what he has seen from Australia, and has gone the relatively early crow that they are once again the team to beat:
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the OBO live coverage of Australia and Bangladesh kicking off their Super Eight campaigns at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Australia captain Mitch Marsh has hardly held back on his view that, as far as he’s concerned, the tournament essentially starts now.
Even with that in mind, Australia have fine-tuned as well as could be hoped for through the group stage with comfortable victories over Oman and England, a thumping win over Namibia, then admittedly a scare in a relatively dead rubber against Scotland.
Perhaps Australia were wrestling with the idea of accepting defeat against the Scots to knock out their mutual foes England even more than they were letting on! Australia’s arch-rivals showed glimpses of returning to their best in an eight-wicket victory over West Indies yesterday.
But it is India’s triumph over Afghanistan earlier today that is more relevant. The top-two finishers in the Super Eight group containing Australia, Bangladesh, India and Afghanistan will progress to the semi-finals, as Marsh’s side look to complete the set of ICC trophies in Tests, ODIs, and T20s.
Play starts at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua at 8:30pm - which is 10:30am AEST and 1:30am BST.
The toss and team news is coming shortly - in the meantime, email your thoughts or get in touch on X @martinpegan throughout the day/night.