Towhid Hridoy hits 74 to power Bangladesh to 306/8 against Australia

Pune: Towhid Hridoy slammed a fifty as Bangladesh produced their best batting effort to post a competitive 306 for 8 against Australia in their final World Cup match here on Saturday.

The 22-year-old Hridoy smashed a 79-ball 74, studded with five fours and two sixes, but none of the other Bangladeshi batters could convert their starts after being invited to take first strike.

Josh Hazlewood (0/21) was on the money with the new ball, while Adam Zampa (2/32) scalped two to take the top position in the list of most wicket takers in this World Cup and Sean Abbott (2/61), playing his first game, also took two.

While Australia have already sealed their semifinal berth, the match holds significance for Bangladesh as a spot for the 2025 Champions trophy is on the line.

Bangladesh showed the right intent with openers Litton Das (36) and Tanzid Hasan (36) giving them a good start on a belter of a wicket as they were 76 for no loss at one stage. However, both frittered away their starts.

Hazlewood began the proceedings with a maiden over but Pat Cummins, sharing the new ball in the absence of Mitchell Starc, gave away 10 runs in his opening over. Cummins was taken to the cleaners by Tanzid in the sixth over with two fours.

Litton joined the party with three boundaries in the eighth over off Sean Abbott as Tanzid brought up the team fifty with another four off Mitchell Marsh in 49 balls.

Marsh then conceded 13 runs but Abbott produced the first breakthrough with a short ball which Tanzid top-edged to hand the bowler a caught and bowl chance.

Najmul Hossain Shanto (45) also looked in fine fettle, producing two hits to the fence off Marsh as Bangladesh scored 100 for one in 15.1 overs.

However, Zampa came on board to have Litton caught by Marnus Labuschagne at long-on.

Hridoy smashed two sixes en route to a 63-run alliance with Shanto off 66 balls but Labuschagne produced a terrific throw after a superb fielding to run out the stand-in skipper.

Mahmudullah (32) clobbered three sixes and a four during his 44-run stand with Hridoy as 200 was up for Bangladesh in 32nd over. But, he fell for another unnecessary run-out with Labuschagne once again in action.

Hridoy picked up his fifty in 39th over but Mushfiqur Rahim (21) became the second victim of Zampa after adding 37. Mehidy Hasan Miraz then blasted four boundaries before Abbott sent him back.

Hridoy was out in the 47th over when he swung at a full-toss from Stoinis only to be caught by Labuschagne at mid-wicket.

Abbott was in action as he dismissed Mehidy off his own bowling and then ran out Nasum Ahmed as Bangladesh could add just 67 in the last 10 overs.