On a wet night in Antigua a hat-trick to Pat Cummins, a world record for Mitch Starc and a blazing half-century for David Warner saw Australia comfortably home

Pat Cummins’ first international hat-trick and David Warner’s ever-present class saw Australia clinically account for Bangladesh in their rain-hit first Super Eights match in Antigua.  

Cummins (3-29 from four overs) dismissed Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan and Towhid Hridoy in consecutive balls across his final two overs to lead a strangling bowling performance that kept the Tigers’ misfiring batting line-up to just 8-140

That was their highest score of the World Cup so far, but Hridoy dropping Warner on 5 denied Bangladesh the early blow they needed in Australia’s reply, as the veteran smashed three sixes en route to a match-winning 53no (from 35 balls).

The Aussies were 2-100 when the second of two rain delays during their run chase put paid to any further play, giving them a comfortable 28-run winning margin with the match called off well past midnight local time.

With a solid net run rate boosting win banked against the side that appears the weakest in their group, Australia now have crunch games against Afghanistan in St Vincent (on Sunday 10.30am AEST) and then India in St Lucia (Tuesday 12.30am AEST).

The Aussies now have some breathing room against Afghanistan (who lost to India earlier on Thursday), but a defeat would ratchet the pressure up for their final game against Rohit Sharma’s undefeated side.

A victory would come close to guaranteeing a semi-final berth.

Warner and Travis Head’s early takedown of a Bangladesh bowling attack that had carried their side through the group stage, but was reconfigured to counter the threat of the two left-handed openers, proved crucial given the ensuing squalls.

Off-spinning allrounder Mahedi Hasan, brought into the XI for Jaker Ali, bowled half the Powerplay overs (conceding 0-22 from his four overs), but could not curb the dynamite first-wicket pair who spanked 59 during the initial six-over period.

Young leg-spinner Rishad Hossain dismissed Head (31 off 21) and captain Mitch Marsh after the first weather delay but the fast start and then Glenn Maxwell (14 from six balls) firing from the outset meant Australia were well ahead of the DLS target when the game was called.

After Australia elected to bowl first, Adam Zampa (2-24) bumped his tournament-leading wicket tally among spinners to 11 after knocking over opposition captain Najmul Shanto (41 off 36) and Rishad, whose promotion to No.4 backfired after he made only two, in another suffocating spell from the leg-spinner.

Australia’s decision to reunite their trio of star quicks despite the Sir Viv Richard Stadium hosting its second game in as many days proved shrewd as all three troubled a Bangladesh side that have struggled for runs in this tournament.

Mitchell Starc became the all-time World Cup leading wicket taker (across both T20 and ODI events) when Tanzid Hasan was blown away by a full, swinging delivery in the first over of the match.

Hridoy hit Marcus Stoinis for consecutive sixes in an innings otherwise stunted by senior heads Shanto (41 off 36), Litton Das (16 off 25) and Shakib al-Hasan (8 off 10) chewing up deliveries.

Stoinis shrugged off the blows, two of only three sixes hit in the entire innings, by continuing his supreme tournament with the key wicket of Shakib, before Cummins’ triple strike stalled Bangladesh’s momentum.

The fast bowler’s hat-trick was only the second by an Australian man at a T20 World Cup and the fourth overall in the format, all but one coming against Bangladesh.

2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

Australia’s squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Australia’s Group B fixtures

June 6: Beat Oman by 39 runs

June 9: Beat England by 36 runs

June 12: Beat Namibia by nine wickets

June 16: Beat Scotland by five wickets

Australia’s Super Eight fixtures

21 June: Beat Bangladesh by 28 runs (DLS)

23 June: v Afghanistan, Arnos Vale Ground, St Vincent, 10.30am AEST

25 June: v India, Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, St Lucia, 12.30am AEST

Semi-finals to follow if Australia qualify

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