‘Come on, Bangladesh’: Australia captain Marsh after India loss puts them on brink
Despite having won all group matches and starting the second round with a comprehensive win against Bangladesh, Australia's T20 World Cup campaign has taken a nosedive following back-to-back defeats to Afghanistan and India. The latter defeat occurred in Saint Lucia on Monday, placing India through to the semifinals as group winners but leaving the fate hanging for the rest.
On the brink of elimination, the Men from Down Under are now looking to a limping Bangladesh to pull off an upset against the high-flying Afghans, but not win by a margin of above 61 runs, so that Australia's net run rate stays above the Tigers for a semifinals berth, where South Africa await the Group One runners-up. A victory for Afghanistan in Kingstown, however, will outright spell doom for the 2021 winners.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. "Come on, Bangladesh now!" Australia captain Mitchell Marsh said at the post-match presentation.
At the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, India rode on captain Rohit Sharma's blistering 92 to amass 205-5 after being asked to bat. Australia, in reply, were well in the game that produced 386 runs but up to a point – 128 for two in 13 overs, with two of the most aggressive batters in the world at the crease: Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell.
However, despite a valiant 73 off 43 balls from swashbuckling opener Head, the finishing line eventually appeared light years away for the 2021 champions.
Marsh added, "India were the better team, Rohit is a class player. (On Head and Maxwell's batting) Gave us more belief than hope. In a run chase like that if you keep it at 10 an over, we are in the game. India's bowlers were too good in the end."
On the other hand, India captain Rohit Sharma found the outcome "satisfying" and said that his side are not thinking about England, their opponents in the semifinals.
"We have been doing it consistently, just need to continue. (On playing England in semi) It will be a nice match, nothing changes for us as a team," said Rohit, playing his ninth T20 World Cup -- a joint record alongside Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan.
About his sensational innings, which spanned over 41 deliveries and led to his career-best knock in the T20 World Cup, Rohit said, "I was thinking to hit everything that was possible… It has been a good wicket and you need to back yourself on good wickets, glad that it came off today.
"I told you that 50s and 100s don't matter to me. Need to put the bowlers under pressure, and you need big scores for that. I tried to access all sides of the field, not just one side."
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