'Different' Australia can handle Bangladesh's spin: Agar

Australia were a different side when they crashed to their first T20 series loss to Bangladesh in August and are not expecting a repeat of their troubles when they face the south Asians in the World Cup, spinner Ashton Agar said.

Australia need to beat already-eliminated Bangladesh in the afternoon clash on Thursday in Dubai to stay in contention for the semi-finals.

A second-string Australia crashed to a 4-1 series defeat away to Bangladesh in August but now have their strongest lineup available.

Photo: Firoz Ahmed

"Very different conditions," Agar told reporters on Wednesday.

"It was probably the first time a lot of us played in conditions like that in Bangladesh and we definitely found that challenging. And to be fair, Bangladesh played those conditions incredibly well and we weren't surprised.

"But it is very different now, we have a very different-looking side and the wickets certainly aren't playing like those conditions that we played over there."

Australia were restricted to less than 130 four times in Dhaka as they struggled against the left-arm seam of Mustafizur Rahman and his spin-bowling team mates.

Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Agar said Dubai's wicket was unlikely to lend the Bangladeshi bowlers similar assistance.

"The conditions played a huge part in Mustafizur being very difficult to face, the amount of spin he was able to get with his big offspinning slower ball was amazing," he said.

Photo: Firoz Ahmed

"But that relied heavily on the surface that he was bowling ... I doubt it would be as spin-friendly as it would be in Bangladesh."

Third in Group One behind England and South Africa, Australia must beat West Indies after Bangladesh but may also end up relying on undefeated England to help them reach the semi-finals by eliminating the Proteas.

"We're purely thinking about the two games that we have to win," said Agar.

"We certainly have the side that's able to do that."