With a stunning century, Australia’s number three, Mitchell Marsh, lit up the second innings of the match, bringing Australia’s group stage to a thrilling end. Marsh’s century, which included 26 boundaries and nine sixes, was a sight to behold.

Marsh’s Century and Warner’s Half-Century Lead Australia to Victory

Marsh’s impressive performance, coupled with David Warner’s half-century and solid support from Steve Smith, made the challenging chase seem effortless. This victory has boosted Australia’s confidence as they head towards the semi-finals. Unfortunately for Bangladesh, this defeat leaves them with just four points and their qualification for the Champions Trophy now depends on the outcome of the Netherlands vs India match.

Match 43: Australia Triumphs Over Bangladesh by Eight Wickets

The strength of Australia’s top-order was evident in Pune as they effortlessly chased down what could have been a daunting total. Australia suffered an early setback when Travis Head was dismissed while attempting to take on Taskin Ahmed. However, the arrival of Mitchell Marsh turned the tide in Australia’s favour. Marsh’s aggressive batting ensured Australia maintained a run rate of close to seven runs per over.

Marsh’s Half-Century and Warner’s Slow Start

The introduction of Bangladesh’s spinners temporarily slowed down Australia’s scoring rate. David Warner took some time to find his rhythm, while Marsh continued to score at the other end. Marsh reached his half-century off just 37 balls, and Warner followed suit, reaching his own 50 off 52 balls after settling in against the spinners.

Australia’s Chase Hits a Bump

Australia’s smooth chase hit a snag when Warner, who had started to struggle, was caught by Najmul Hossain Shanto off Mustafizur Rahman. However, with Marsh still at the crease and playing beautifully, Australia remained in a strong position in their pursuit of 307 runs to win.

Marsh’s Outstanding Knock

Marsh, the powerful number three, continued his impressive performance. With support from the returning Smith, Marsh scored an exceptional 177 runs off just 132 balls, including nine sixes. Smith remained not out on 63 runs off 64 balls, helping Australia reach the target with 32 balls to spare, sending a clear message to their semi-final opponents.

Setting a Challenging Target: Bangladesh’s Efforts

After winning the toss, Australia’s Pat Cummins decided to bowl first in Pune. Glenn Maxwell, the hero of the previous match, was given a well-deserved rest to prepare for the knockout stages. Mitchell Starc was also absent from the team, with Steve Smith and Sean Abbott stepping in.

Bangladesh’s Strong Total

A classy half-century from Tawhid Hridoy helped Bangladesh set a challenging total of 306/8 against Australia. Despite each of the top five batters scoring at least 30 runs, only Hridoy (74) managed to convert it into a fifty. Australia capitalized on their excellent fielding to prevent Bangladesh from taking control of the match.

Playing XIs

Australia:

Travis Head, David Warner, Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

Bangladesh:

Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Litton Kumer Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Tawhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman.