Bangladesh will play Australia in their last ICC T20 World Cup 2021 encounter on Thursday (November 4). The match will begin at 4 p.m. in Dubai. This match is crucial for Australia's chances of making the semifinals. If Australia win the match, they will be in a good position to advance to the knockout stage. On the other hand, Bangladesh have nothing to play for after losing to South Africa on Tuesday (November 2). However, will Bangladesh be able to make a strong finish to the tournament?
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Notable Bangladesh-Australia T20I Records
Bangladesh recently defeated Australia in a bilateral T20I series at home. Therefore, Bangladesh's twenty20 format record against Australia has improved. Take a look at some of the noteworthy T20I records between these two national teams.
Bangladesh vs. Australia: Noteworthy T20I Record
| Bangladesh | Australia | |
| Matches Played (9) | 4 | 5 |
| Most Runs | Shakib Al Hasan (257 runs in 9 innings) | Mitchell Marsh (162 runs in 6 innings) |
| Highest Score | Shakib Al Hasan (66) | Mathew Hayden (73*) |
| Most Fifties | Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad (1) | Mathew Hayden, Usman Khawaja, Aaron Finch, Mitchell Marsh (1) |
| Most Wickets | Shakib Al Hasan (12) | Josh Hazlewood (8) |
| Best Bowling Figures | Shakib Al Hasan (4/9) | Dirk Nannes (4/18) |
| Most Matches | Shakib Al Hasan (9) | Mitchell Marsh (6) |
| Highest Partnership | Shakib Al Hasan & Mushfiqur Rahim (112) | Adam Gilchrist & Mathew Hayden (104) |
| Most Catches | Mahmudullah Riyad (5) | Ashton Agar (5) |
| Most Dismissals | Nurul Hasan (4) | Mathew Wade (4) |
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Also read: T20 World Cup: Bangladesh bat first vs South Africa
Bangladesh
Bangladesh have nothing to lose in this match, therefore the players won't be under any pressure. Captain Mahmudullah has one last chance to show his leadership potential in a neutral venue. Bangladesh's recent record against Australia will surely restore faith in the players despite the fact that the conditions and surface are both different from Mirpur's sluggish pitch.
Some of Australia's A-list players were also unable to partake in the series. But a full-strength Australian national team will face a wounded Bangladesh side on Thursday. Bangladesh can win the contest if the players are determined to display their true ability. Even if Bangladesh win this match, they will not be able to advance to the semifinals. Bangladesh would be able to finish the tournament on a high note if they win.
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The team management may decide to include him in the lineup given Nasum Ahmed's success against Australian batters in the recent bilateral series.
Probable Playing XI
Mohammad Naim, Liton Das (wicket-keeper), Afif Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad (captain), Soumya Sarkar, Shamim Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam
Australia
Australia must win this match to remain in contention for a semifinal place. Australia are in third place with four points, just two points behind second-placed South Africa. Their main goal would be to win this match by a big margin because South Africa and England both have better run rates than Australia. Their net run rates will improve with a huge win. In this context, Australia will come out with a lot of aggression against Bangladesh. Therefore, the Bangladesh team must be even more prepared to face the Aussie side.
Read T20 World Cup: Tigers in desperate search for consolation win
Probable Playing XI
Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wicket-keeper), Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Verdict
Bangladesh have only won two matches in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Sadly, the two victories came in the qualifying phase against weaker opponents. In that perspective, the Tigers ' performance in this tournament has been a complete failure. They may finish the tournament in a positive way by winning their last match against Australia. Bangladesh's recent home series victory against Australia would boost the players' confidence. However, Australia are more in desperate need of a win than Bangladesh. Therefore, the team Tigers will face another tough challenge in this tournament.