Tigers take historic series

Pacer Mustafizur Rahman was the saviour yesterday, helping Bangladesh complete a remarkable turnaround from a trying situation as they trumped Australia by 10 runs in the third T20I, in the process clinching their first ever series win over the men from down under.

The Tigers, defending a modest 127 for nine, completed a stirring win under lights at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, and now lead the five-match series 3-0. 

Australia's man in form Mitchell Marsh, who struck a battling 47-ball 51, looked set to carry his team over the ropes with seven wickets in hand and 34 required from three overs.

Then came one of the turning points when Marsh looked to go big down the ground but departed to Shoriful Islam in the 18th over, not getting the connection he hoped.

The most pivotal point of the game would come in the 19th over bowled by Mustafizur.

Fizz, who had been earmarked as the key by Australia on this kind of pitch, brought out all his skill and guile in a tight scenario, with Australia needing 23 from the last 12 balls. His slowers worked their magic, not in producing wickets but crucial dot balls.

The cutters gripped the surface, beguiling Dan Christian, the batsman on strike as he failed to get his bat on three deliveries on the trot. A yorker on the last delivery did not produce any runs either and that is where the game changed as the Aussies managed just one run in that over -- Carey squeezing out a single -- and Fizz ended with only nine runs conceded in his four overs, the pivotal hand in the historic series win.

A six off the first delivery of the final over brought hope for the Aussies but Mahedi Hasan, despite bowling a no-ball in his fourth delivery, held on as the Aussies fell short by 10 runs, needing 22 off the last over.

At the start of Australia's chase, left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed gave Bangladesh the early breakthrough in the second over to see the back of touring skipper Matthew Wade, who tried to paddle over short fine leg but only managing to find the fielder in the circle.

A maiden from Nasum in the fourth over – the first of the series -- and Fizz conceding three runs in the final over of the Powerplay saw Australia reach 20 for one, but Marsh released the pressure with a swept four and an inside-out six over cover against Nasum. Australia looked in control with Marsh then picking Shakib Al Hasan and Shoriful for boundaries.

With Australia gaining momentum at 68 for one in 12 overs, it appeared the game was going the visitors' way and when Shoriful dropped McDermott off Mustafizur in the first ball of the 13th over, the match was slipping away.

It was then that Fizz began to have his say, bowling a one-run over. The turnaround materialised and Shakib – who played his first ever match for Bangladesh 15 years ago in an ODI in Harare -- was the one who initiated it, breaking the 63-run stand and castling opener Ben McDermott for a 41-ball 35.

The Tigers were further buoyed when Shoriful struck in the 15th over. Moises Henrique departed for two trying to go over the infield and as the required run-rate crept over nine it was suddenly Australia who felt the pressure.

Fizz and Co then prevailed to notch what is a historic series win. Shoriful bagged two for 29 runs while Shakib and Nasum ended with one each.

Earlier, skipper Mahmudullah's 54-ball 53 took the Tigers to 127 for nine on another tough day for the batsmen. The end of the innings would be marked by Aussie pacer Nathan Ellis getting a hattrick on debut.

Having won the toss and electing to bat, Bangladesh did not have the best of starts after rain had delayed the toss by an hour and 30 minutes. Ashton Turner created opportunities with Soumya Sarkar still searching for form and survived a stumping appeal before he was dropped by Carey at square leg.

Next over, Josh Hazlewood created all sorts of trouble for Soumya who dabbed at a few deliveries in the corridor of uncertainty with the ball angling across him. Soumya managed to get off strike on the fifth delivery.

Hazlewood struck next ball with a delivery that seamed slightly after pitching and then sort of held its line with Mohammad Naim only managing to nick it through to the wicketkeeper to depart for one.

Having survived the earlier over, Soumya's slog sweep did not connect on the first Adam Zampa delivery next over and the Aussies got the leg-before decision as it rapped his pads. Soumya departed for an 11-ball two, unable to overturn the decision.

Mahmudullah promoted himself up the order and faced with a slow outfield and the ball seaming a bit, the Tigers had their most experienced duo out in the middle in these conditions. It would result in their most meaningful partnership as Shakib and the skipper kept the runs ticking, reaching 28 for two at the end of the Powerplay.

The eighth over of the innings, bowled by Marsh, saw Mahmudullah and Shakib pick up 15 runs with the former finding the gap between mid-on and long-on for a four before Shakib found the ropes twice with a cheeky scoop and a well-controlled cut shot.

With Shakib looking good and the partnership contributing 44 off 36 deliveries, the Tigers were set back again when the left-hander holed out at long-off after a fluent 17-ball 26 as he tried to make room to hit a Zampa delivery over mid-off.

Afif Hossain, the hero of the last match, looked promising once again, hitting a flighted Agar delivery over mid-on for six. Bangladesh were moving along nicely but Australia created their own chances with skilled fielding.

Afif, looking good on a 13-ball 19, tried to steal a risky single after dabbing the ball to mid-off but Carey hit the bull's eye with only one stump to aim at and the Tigers were down to four for 76 runs after 12 overs.

The next two overs produced just five runs and a wicket as Shamim Hossain tried to heave across the line to a Hazlewood length delivery and holed out to midwicket after an eight-ball three. Nurul Hasan then looked well set for a steady knock, hitting Zampa over long on for a maximum but Australia fielders were right on the money again when a slight confusion from Nurul while running to the danger end saw him well short of the crease as Henriques effected a direct hit.

Mahmudullah had kept the score ticking with plenty of singles and with the outfield being slow, picked his gaps a few times to run doubles. Having only struck one boundary in the first 45 deliveries faced, he found the ropes thrice more to bring up his fifty in the final over before perishing to a full-length Ellis delivery.

The debutant then removed Mustafizur (0) and Mahedi (6) in successive deliveries and completed a hattrick on debut to finish with three for 34.