A top-order display by Cooper Connolly and a lower-order partnership between Matt Renshaw and Nikhil Chaudhary guided Australia to a hard-fought four-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first T20I at Chattogram on Wednesday.
With this victory, the visitors have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, tracking down a modest target of 132 with 10 balls to spare.
Chasing 132 for win, Australia’s chase began with immediate drama. Left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam struck in his second over, bowling Josh Inglis for 5 as the batsman missed a cheeky reverse ramp scoop.
However, Cooper Connolly walked in at number three and immediately shifted the pressure back onto the hosts. Connolly launched a brutal counter-attack against Shoriful, smashing two boundaries and a six in consecutive deliveries to jump-start the innings.
Mustafizur Rahman provided a crucial breakthrough by removing Australian captain Mitchell Marsh for 13, who chipped a regulation catch to short third man. Despite losing his partner, Connolly continued his aggressive approach, lifting Australia to 47 for 2 by the end of the Powerplay.
Connolly accumulated 47 off just 27 deliveries, featuring four boundaries and three sixes, before holing out to long-on off debutant Abdul Gaffar Saqlain.
Tim David sustained the momentum by clobbering two massive sixes, including a 98-metre strike off Mahedi Hasan. Mahedi, however, exacted immediate revenge on the very next ball when David miscued a big shot to long-on, departing for 20.
At 89 for 4, the match hung briefly in the balance. Matt Renshaw and Nikhil Chaudhary combined for a 24-run partnership to pull Australia within touching distance of the target.
Bangladesh managed to trigger a late panic when leg-spinner Rishad Hossain dismissed Chaudhary for 18 via a successful glove-nick review. Saqlain then claimed his second wicket by removing Renshaw for 18 in the 19th over.
However, Xavier Bartlett ended any lingering hopes for the home crowd by driving Saqlain through the covers for a boundary to wrap up the chase in 18.2 overs. Saqlain finished with figures of 2 for 32 on his international debut.
Earlier in the afternoon, Bangladesh elected to bat first but struggled to find momentum on a changing Chattogram deck.
Opening batsmen Saif Hassan (20) and Tanzid Hasan (10) provided a brisk 26-run opening stand inside three overs before Spencer Johnson dismissed Tanzid. Spinners Adam Zampa and debutant Joel Davies then tore through the batting order, taking three wickets apiece.
Zampa finished with outstanding figures of 3 for 18, picking up his 150th T20I wicket in the process, while Davies claimed an impressive 3 for 17.
A late cameo from Mahedi Hasan, who hit an unbeaten 29 off 22 balls, dragged Bangladesh past the 130-mark before the team was bowled out in 19 overs.