NEW DELHI: Having already secured a spot in the World Cup semifinals, the dominant Australian cricket team is set to face Bangladesh in their final group stage match, sans Shakib Al Hasan, on Saturday. Australia, riding high on their batting prowess and recent victories, aims to continue their unbeaten streak and carry momentum into the knockout stage.
Australia's recent surge into the semifinals was propelled by an exceptional innings from Glenn Maxwell, who scored an unbeaten 201 off 128 balls against Afghanistan. The team, led by Pat Cummins, has been unstoppable in their last six meetings, showcasing their dominance in the tournament.
Bangladesh, in contrast, faced early elimination from the World Cup and will be playing for pride and qualification points for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Their recent win against Sri Lanka kept their hopes alive, but the absence of skipper Shakib Al Hasan due to a fractured left index finger has left their bowling attack depleted.
Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead Bangladesh in Shakib's absence, and the team will rely on Litton Das, Shanto, Mahmudullah, and Mushfiqur Rahim to deliver with the bat. However, they face the daunting task of negotiating the formidable pace duo of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, along with handling the spin threat posed by Adam Zampa.
Zampa, with 20 wickets in the tournament, remains Australia's key weapon in the bowling department. His ability to stifle opposition batting units has been crucial to Australia's success, and Bangladesh will need a solid strategy to counter his threat.
Australia's batting lineup, led by David Warner and Glenn Maxwell, has been in exceptional form. However, the middle order's occasional vulnerability, as seen in their collapse against Afghanistan, might be an area Bangladesh looks to exploit.
With a commanding 19-1 record against Bangladesh in ODIs, Australia enters the match as the clear favourite. Having already secured a semifinal berth, Australia aims to finish the group stage with a win, maintaining their unbeaten run and building confidence for the crucial knockout matches that lie ahead.
Squads:Bangladesh: Litton Das (wk), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Anamul Haque.
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Inglis (wk), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.
Match starts at 10:30 am.
(With inputs from PTI)
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