Tigers trump Ellis hat-trick to wrap up series against Australia

Bangladesh trumped a debut hat-trick of fast bowler Nathan Ellis to wrap up the five-match T20 International series against Australia after their thrilling 10-run victory in the third game at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today (August 6).

Ellis became the first bowler to claim hat-trick on debut in the T20 International cricket to restrict Bangladesh to 127-9 and gave Australia a hope to keep the series alive after their 23-run and five-wicket defeat in the last two matches.

But that couldn't dent the mood of the Tigers as the bowlers came up with a spirited performance to hold Australia back to 117-4 and clinched a victory to savour for years. In doing so, Tigers took an unassailable 3-0 lead.

Although he didn't have any wicket to his name, fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman's economical bowling was key in sealing the victory. Baffling Australian batsmen with his cutter and slower deliveries yet again, Mustafizur finished with 4-0-9-0.

His last over and the penultimate over of the innings was the game-changer.

With Australia needing 23 runs in the last two overs to earn the victory, Mustafizur conceded just one run in the penultimate over, leaving Australia a staggering 22 in the last over.

Alex Carey struck a six in the first ball of the last over against offspinner Mahedi Hasan, who regrouped him nicely and bowled with disciplined channel to force Australia to fall short of 11 runs.

Mitchell Marsh struck 47 ball-51 to be the top-scorer of the side for the third straight time.

He came to the crease after opener and captain Matthew Wade fell for 1 with Australia at 8-1.

Pace bowler Shoriful Islam who had heated words with Marsh earlier in the innings, dismissed Marsh in the first ball of the 18th over and turned the game towards Bangladesh.

Ben McDermott, one of the three changes of Australia, scored 35 after opening the innings. Carey was not out on 20.

Shoriful ended with 2-29 while Shakib Al Hasan and Nasum Ahmed shared one wicket apiece.

Ellis who was the 16th bowler overall to bag T20 hat-trick ended with 3-34 in four overs and all of his three wickets came in a row in the last three balls of the Bangladesh's innings. His achievement is the 17th instance of hat-trick in T20 International cricket with Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga claiming the feat twice.

Ellis dismissed Mahmudullah in the fourth ball of the last over to take his first wicket and then he got the better of Mustafizur Rahman and Mahedi Hasan in the consecutive deliveries to complete his hat-trick. He is third Australian to achieve a T20 hat-trick.

Thanks to his effort Bangladesh couldn't finish on high.

Captain Mahmudullah Riyad struck 53 ball-52 to be the top scorer of the side.

Riyad struck four fours in his fifth T20 half-century which was crucial to hold together the innings in the slow pitch.

After the game was delayed by 1 hour and 15 minutes due to drizzle, Bangladesh decided to bat first but that decision seemed to backfire when two openers Mohammad Naim and Soumya Sarkar were removed in third over, leaving the side in precarious three for two.

Mahmudullah then joined Shakib to rebuild the innings but after making 26, Shakib was dismissed by leg-spinner Adam Zampa. Riyad then held together the innings as Aussies continued to make inroads, bowling in disciplined line and length.

Afif Hossain was the other notable scorer with 19 while Nurul Hasan Sohan made 11.

Apart from Elis's three wickets haul, Josh Hazlewood and Zampa bagged two wickets apiece.

Source: BSS

AH