Pat Cummins claimed a hat-trick as Australia opened their T20 World Cup Super 8s campaign with a rain-affected 28-run win (DLS) over Bangladesh.
Cummins took the seventh T20 World Cup hat-trick as Australia held Bangladesh to 140-8 in Antigua.
The second rain delay ended the match with Australia on 100-2 in reply, 28 ahead of the required DLS target.
Mitchell Starc gave Australia a flying start, bowling opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim without scoring off the third ball.
Bangladesh rebuilt with Najmul Hossain Shanto (41 from 36 balls) and Litton Kumer Das (16) adding 58 in eight overs before Adam Zampa bowled them both and caught Rishad Hossain off Glenn Maxwell to leave them 84-4.
Towhid Hridoy steered Bangladesh towards a respectable total and they had reached 122-5 before Cummins grabbed two wickets in successive balls at the end of the 18th over.
Australia’s Test captain returned to dismiss Hridoy for 40 at the start of the final over, completing the second hat-trick by an Australian in a T20 World Cup after Brett Lee – also against Bangladesh – in 2007.
David Warner and Travis Head made a quick start in reply, reaching 64 without loss in the seventh over before the rain started.
Head was bowled three balls after they returned for 31 by Rishad Hossain, who trapped captain Mitch Marsh leg before for one in his next over.
But Warner, who clubbed 53 from 35 balls with three sixes, and Maxwell (14) calmed any nerves and ensured Australia were well ahead of the required run rate when the rain returned.
Cummins is the seventh player to complete a hat-trick – three wickets with three balls – at a T20 World Cup and the second Australian after Brett Lee who achieved the feat, also against Bangladesh, in 2007.
“I had no idea,” Cummins said. “At the end of the over I saw it come up on the screen so I thought I’ll make sure I remember but I totally forgot about it. I had a few (hat-tricks) in juniors but never for Australia.
“It’s a good club to be a part of.”
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What’s next?
Australia next play Afghanistan on Sunday (1.30am UK and Ireland) in Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1.30am), while Bangladesh face India on Saturday (3.30pm) in North Sound, Antigua.