Bangladesh take 2-0 lead over Australia in T20 series after recovering from batting collapse
Bangladesh take 2-0 lead over Australia in T20 series; Tigers were reduced to 67-5 chasing 122 but Afif Hossain (37no) and Nural Hasan (22no) steered hosts home with half-century stand; third game of five-match series takes place on Friday
Wednesday 4 August 2021 20:11, UK
Bangladesh took a 2-0 lead over Australia in the five-match T20 series after recovering from 67-5 to win the second match in Dhaka by five wickets.
Bangladesh's victory in Tuesday's series opener was their first over Australia in a T20 match and they backed it up 24 hours later, albeit after a batting collapse.
Afif Hossain (37no) and Nural Hasan (22no) joined forces at five wickets down with 55 runs still required in a chase of 122 but shared an unbroken half-century stand as The Tigers secured victory with eight balls to spare on a slow pitch.
Soumya Sarkar (0), Mohammad Naim (9), Shakib Al Hasan (26), Mahedi Hasan (23) and Mahmudullah (0) had earlier departed as Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar each picked up a wicket.
Australia were 88-3 in the 15th after Mitchell Marsh (45) and Moises Henriques (30) added 57 but when Henriques was bowled by Shakib the innings stalled, with the visitors scoring only 31-4 in the final five overs.
Left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman took 3-23 for Bangladesh, including Matthew Wade (4) and Agar (0) from successive deliveries in the 18th over.
Bangladesh will now be looking to wrap up a series win in Friday's third game at the same venue.
