Bangladesh started the Super Eight stage with a heavy defeat as former Twenty20 World Cup champions Australia won by 28 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in their opening match of Group A at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua Thursday.
Australian openers David Warner and Travis Head made a solid start while chasing, showing the proper intent of scoring quick runs, which was missing in Bangladesh's batting.
The Tigers' batters' approach looked negative and overly cautious, even on a good surface conducive for stroke-making.
Australia were 63 for no loss in 6.3 overs before rain stopped play, with Warner batting on 32 and Head on 31.
After the break, leg-spinner Rishad Hossain took the wickets of Head (31) and Mitchell Marsh (one), giving Bangladesh some hope.
But Warner was solid at the other end and picked up his fifty before rain stopped play again after 11.2 overs.
Warner was unbeaten on 53 off 35 deliveries with five fours and three sixes, while Glenn Maxwell was not out on 14 off just six balls.
The rain got heavy later, and the match was eventually called off, with Australia well ahead in the DLS method.
Australia were declared the winners by 28 runs in DLS method.
Earlier, Australia captain Marsh won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Bangladesh made one change to their playing XI, with all-rounder Mahedi Hasan replacing Jaker Ali Anik.
The Tigers were off to a shaky start once again, losing a wicket in the very first over when opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim was cleaned up by Mitchell Starc on the third ball.
It was an outswinger from Starc, and Tanzid, playing a casual defensive shot a bit late, took the bottom edge and rattled the stumps.
Liton Das struggled at the other end against Starc and Josh Hazlewood, scoring his first run off the 10th ball he faced.
However, skipper Nazmul Hossain Shanto started brightly, hitting a six against Hazlewood by charging down the ground in the fourth over.
Liton’s struggling innings of 16 off 25 came to an end in the ninth over when Adam Zampa clean-bowled him while attempting a sweep shot.
Bangladesh promoted Rishad to No 4 to accelerate the run rate, but he failed to grab the opportunity, scoring just two runs off four deliveries.
Zampa also bagged Shanto’s wicket when Bangladesh tried to gather some quick runs; he was trapped in front of the wicket while attempting a sweep shot.
Shanto’s 41-run innings from 36 deliveries was composed with five fours and one six.
Towhid Hridoy played a good innings in the middle-order, smashing a couple of delightful sixes against Marcus Stoinis in the 17th over.
But Bangladesh lost wickets at regular intervals in the late phase of the innings as Pat Cummins grabbed a hat-trick — dismissing Mahmudullah (two off three), Mahedi (nought), and Hridoy (40 off 28) — to restrict Bangladesh to 140 for eight in the end.
Bangladesh will play their next game at the same venue against one of the title contenders, India, Saturday.
44TH MATCH
Bangladesh 140/8 (Shanto 41, Hridoy 40) lost to Australia 100/2 in 11.2 overs (Warner 53*, Head 31) by 28 runs (DLS method)