Adam Zampa registered best-ever figures for an Australian bowler in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup as Australia skittled out Bangladesh for just 73 in a Group 1 match at the Dubai International Stadium here on Thursday. Apart from Zampa's 5/19, Mitchell Starc (2/21), Josh Hazlewood (2/8) and Glenn Maxwell (1/6) were other wicket-takers for Australia.
Inserted into batting first, Australia were all over Bangladesh from the word go and never let the pressure boil down. Litton Das chopped on to his stumps off Mitchell Starc on third ball of the innings. In the next over, Soumya Sarkar was dismissed in the similar manner as Das, off Josh Hazlewood. Bangladesh's problems increased as Mushfiqur Rahim was trapped lbw by Glenn Maxwell.
Mohammad Naim collected two fours off Pat Cummins while captain Mahmudullah cracked back-to-back boundaries off Starc in the fifth over. Naim had hit Hazlewood for a four in the start of the final over of Power-play. But on the third ball of the innings, he pulled a short ball to mid-wicket.
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa was rewarded with a wicket on his first ball post Power-play as Afif Hossain nicked to first slip. Though Shamim Hossain slog-swept Starc and Zampa for a four and six respectively, he couldn't do much, nicking behind to keeper off Zampa in 11th over. Zampa had his second wicket of the over as Mahedi Hasan was rapped in from stumps.
Skipper Aaron Finch brought Starc back in the 13th over, a move which took out Mahmudullah, the last recognised batter, strangled down leg with keeper Wade diving to his left to complete the catch. Though Wade dropped the catch on Zampa's hat-trick ball, it didn't cost Australia much as Zampa dismissed Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam in three balls to bring Bangladesh's misery to an end with five overs remaining.
Brief scores: Bangladesh 73 all out (Shamim Hossain 19, Mohammad Naim 16, Adam Zampa 5/19, Josh Hazlewood 2/8) against Australia