Bangladesh Make History by Winning ODI Series Against Australia

Darwin, 12 June: The Bangladesh cricket team created history by winning a series against Australia for the first time in One-Day International (ODI) cricket. The Tigers secured the three-match ODI series with one game to spare after registering back-to-back victories.

In the second ODI, Bangladesh delivered an impressive all-round performance with both bat and ball to claim a historic win. Earlier, they had won the first ODI by 86 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka. In today’s match, Bangladesh sealed the series with a five-wicket victory, led by captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Bangladesh had previously defeated Australia in an ODI for the first time in Cardiff in 2005. Twenty-one years later, they not only ended that long wait for another ODI win over Australia but also secured their first-ever ODI series victory against the Australians.

After winning the toss on Thursday, Australia chose to bat first and scored 187/8 in 42 overs.

In the rain-affected match, Bangladesh were set a revised target of 192 runs in 41 overs and achieved it with 36 balls to spare.

Soumya Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto both scored 42 runs, while Towhid Hridoy and Mehidy Hasan Miraz remained unbeaten on 40 and 22 respectively to guide Bangladesh to victory.

Batting first, Australia posted 187 runs for 8 wickets in 42 overs. Marnus Labuschagne was the top scorer with an unbeaten 55 off 85 balls, including three boundaries. Xavier Bartlett also remained unbeaten, scoring 52 off 48 balls with four fours and two sixes.

For Bangladesh, Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman claimed three wickets each, while Tanvir Islam picked up two wickets.

Chasing the revised target of 192 in 41 overs, Bangladesh suffered an early setback when opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim was dismissed off the second ball of the innings.

Soumya Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto then steadied the innings, putting together an 86-run partnership for the second wicket from 93 balls. Returning to the national side after a long absence, Soumya was dismissed for 42 off 47 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes.

After Soumya’s departure, Litton Das came to the crease, but before he could build a substantial partnership, Shanto was dismissed as the third batter out with the team score on 98. Shanto scored 42 runs from 53 balls, including five boundaries.

Litton Das became the fourth batter dismissed at 122, scoring 21 runs from 18 balls. Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, who had been named Player of the Match in the previous game, was dismissed as the fifth batter at 144 after scoring 15 runs from 14 balls.

Towhid Hridoy and Mehidy Hasan Miraz then shared a crucial 51-run partnership from 49 balls for the sixth wicket to take Bangladesh home. Hridoy remained unbeaten on 40 from 55 balls, including two fours and a six, while captain Miraz stayed not out on 22 from 22 balls with one four and one six.