Brilliant Warner, Lyon inspire clinical Australia

Australia defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets to level the two-match Test series 1-1 during day four of their second Test at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Thursday. Bangladesh only set an 86-run target to the visitor and the Aussies reached the target in 15.3 overs losing their three top-order batsmen. All-rounder Glenn Maxwell scored the winning runs by smashing a sixer over deep mid wicket against off-spinner Nasir Hossain.Maxwell was unbeaten on 25 off 17 balls while middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb was not out on 16 off 14 deliveries. Australia lost their first wicket in the fifth over when vice captain David Warner tried to pull and clear the boundary against left-arm pacer Mustrafizur Rahman only to be caught at the boundary line by Soumya Sarkar. Left-arm spinners Taijul Islam and Shakib al Hasan picked up the wickets of captain Steve Smith (16) and Matthew Renshaw (22) respectively when Australia still needed 41 for victory.But a late Maxwell cameo ensured that there would be no more collapses in the end as Australia clinched victory by chasing down the relatively small target quite comfortably. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon finished the match taking 13 wickets conceding 154 and was adjudged man of the match. Warner and Lyon were named man of the series jointly.Warner scored 251 in four innings while Lyon took 22 wickets in the same number of innings. Earlier, Bangladesh drew first blood when they took the last wicket of Australia with the scoreboard reading 377. Australia in the process took a 72-run first innings lead.Bangladesh’s start in their second innings was not upto the mark as they lost opener Soumya (nine) in the fifth over. Soumya tried to play an incoming delivery from paceman Pat Cummins and with less foot movement only managed an edge that was caught at second slip easily by Renshaw. In-form opener Tamim Iqbal (12) was then stumped by wicket-keeper Matthew Wade, who was sharp throughout the match, and that dismissal pegged Bangladesh back.Surprisingly, Bangladesh promoted Nasir Hossain (five) to No 4 but that move did not click as the right-hander also got out before lunch by giving a catch to first slip against left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe. In the meantime, Bangladesh also lost No 3 batsman Imrul Kayes (15) and Shakib (two) very quickly and suddenly, the home side were shockingly on the verge of an innings defeat as they were tottering on 43/5 and still needed 29 more to make Australia bat again. Thanks to No 7 batsman Sabbir Rahman and captain Mushfiqur Rahim, that didn’t happen, as they formed some sort of resistance, putting on 54 for the sixth wicket.But Australia took Sabbir’s wicket quickly after lunch as he was stumped by another sharp reflex action from Wade. Left-hander Mominul Haque then came at No 8 for Bangladesh and formed a 32-run partnership with Mushfiq. Mushfiq’s resistance came to an end in the 53rd over.It was a beautiful delivery form Cummins as it kissed Mushfiq’s bat and Wade did the rest. Mominul (29) and youngster Mehedi Hasan Miraz (14 not out) scored some late runs to help Bangladesh post 157 in their second innings. Lyon once again was the main destroyer as he took six for 60 while Cummins and O’Keefe took two each.It was a poor batting performance from the Tigers as they probably fell 100 short of a challenging total. But actually, the first innings batting was key behind the Tigers’ loss as they managed to post only 305 on a relatively fresh day one pitch. In the end, it was an eventful series for Bangladesh as they played a Test against Australia after a long gap of 11 years.BRIEF SCOREBangladesh 305 in 113.2 overs (Mushfiq 68, Lyon 7/94) & 157 in 71.2 overs (Mushfiq 31, Lyon 6/60) lost to Australia 377/9 in 119.5 overs (Warner 123, Handscomb 82) & 87/3 in 15.3 overs (Maxwell 25*, Renshaw 22) by seven wickets

Read more

Miraz, Hasan picked in Lankan Premier League draft

Allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz and fast bowler Hasan Mahmud were picked up by...

Joty, Ritu inspire Tigresses to first tri-series win against Scotland

Bangladesh Women bounced back from successive defeats to register their first...

Joty: We hope to have our best T20 WC campaign

Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty believes that her side is boasted with...
© 2A Media Limited 2026