Australia clinched a resounding victory against Bangladesh in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023, marking the end of their preliminary league campaign with an impressive seven wins. Mitchell Marsh played a pivotal role, delivering an unbeaten innings of 177 off 132 balls that propelled Australia to an emphatic eight-wicket win on Saturday.
Bangladesh set a challenging target of 306/8 in 50 overs, powered by a patient 74 from Towhid Hridoy. Despite their commendable efforts, Australia showcased their top-order prowess, with David Warner's half-century and valuable support from Steve Smith contributing to a comfortable chase.
Marsh's outstanding performance stole the spotlight as he hammered 26 boundaries, including nine sixes, in a spectacular century. His relentless assault, combined with Smith's stability, formed an unbeaten 175-run partnership, guiding Australia to victory.
Earlier in the match, Pat Cummins chose to bowl first, and the decision paid off as Australia's fielding, notably Marnus Labuschagne's impactful contributions, restricted Bangladesh. Labuschagne's involvement in four dismissals, including two stunning run-outs, played a crucial role in preventing Bangladesh from gaining dominance.
Despite Bangladesh's efforts, Australia successfully chased down the target, securing their place in the semifinals with confidence. The defeat leaves Bangladesh's fate in the tournament hinging on the result of the Netherlands' match against India.
In summary, Mitchell Marsh's stellar innings and Australia's strong team performance concluded their preliminary league campaign on a high note, setting the stage for an exciting semifinal in the World Cup.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 306/8 in 50 overs (Towhid Hridoy 74, Najmul Hossain Shanto 45, Tanzid Hasan 36, Litton Das 36; Sean Abbott 2/61, Adam Zampa 2/32) lost to Australia 307/2 in 44.4 overs (Mitchell Marsh 177 not out, Steve Smith 63, David Warner 53; Taskin Ahmed 1-61) by eight wickets.
(With Agency Inputs)
