Daily Times

Australia registered their fifth win of the World Cup as they beat Bangladesh by 48 runs in a hard-fought encounter at Trent Bridge on Thursday. David Warner led the way for Australia as his 166 helped the team post 381-5. In reply, Bangladesh on the back of a maiden World Cup ton from Mushfiqur Rahim, managed 333-8. Bangladesh were struck an early blow in their chase when a mix-up between the two openers saw Soumya Sarkar get run out after an accurate throw from Aaron Finch.Tamim Iqbal was then joined by Shakib al Hasan. The two put together a decent partnership that ended when Shakib departed due to a leading edge off Marcus Stoinis’ bowling which was easily claimed by Warner at mid-off. Tamim then stitched together a 42-run partnership with Mushfiqur but a stroke of bad luck saw the former play a short ball from Mitchell Starc right onto his stumps and end what could have been a promising stand.

A lot rested on Mushfiqur and Liton Das but the latter would also depart just as the partnership begun to get going. Adam Zampa trapped Das plumb and not even a review saved him. Undeterred, Mushfiqur batted with calmness and responsibility, eventually bringing up a fifty-run stand with Mahmudullah after completing his own half-century. The two looked to rotate the strike so as to not let the asking rate get to far ahead of them. The 100-run stand soon came up but when Nathan Coulter-Nile dismissed Mahmudullah and Sabbir Rahman off successive balls, that ended Bangladesh’s resistance. Mushfiqur brought up his 8th ODI ton towards the end of the match but Bangladesh’s highest-ever ODI total still saw them fall well short.

Warner sets the tone: Earlier, Warner made Bangladesh pay for an early drop with a big hundred as the reigning champions piled on the runs after opting to bat. The opener, who was dropped on 10, made 166 in Australia’s imposing total of 381-5 — his second century of the World Cup thus far. The 32-year-old looks back to his devastating best for Australia after completing a 12-month ban for his role in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. Soumya Sarkar gave Bangladesh fans something to cheer with 3-58 in eight overs on a day when not much seemed to be going their way. The Tigers suffered a blow before play when a back spasm ruled out Mohammad Saifuddin, their leading bowler at the tournament.

His absence from the attack was definitely felt, with the recalled Rubel Hossain’s nine wicketless overs costing an expensive 83 runs. Even so, Warner could have been out for just 10 when a slashing cut off Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza found its way to Sabbir Rahman at backward point. But the fielder appeared not to have seen the ball properly against the backdrop of the crowd and it burst through his hands. Finch was out soon after completing his eighth fifty in 11 ODI innings when he guided a rising Sarkar delivery straight to Rubel at short third man. But that did not stop Warner pressing on to a hundred. He eventually fell when, trying to uppercut Sarkar, he lobbed a catch to Rubel at short third man. Warner faced 147 balls, hitting 14 fours and five sixes.

But his exit simply brought in the big-hitting Glenn Maxwell, who smashed 32 off 10 balls before he was run out. Khawaja fell in sight of a hundred when he bottom-edged a pull off Sarkar and wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim dived forward to hold a good catch while Steve Smith was plumb lbw to Mustafizur Rahman for one. A brief rain break halted play after 49 overs before Australia scored 13 off the last over.