Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss, looked at a dry, used Mirpur pitch, and simply said, “We’ll bat first.” The stand-in skipper is leading Bangladesh in this third and final ODI after Mehidy Hasan Miraz was ruled out with concussion picked up in Sunday’s series-clinching win. “Mehidy’s still a bit sore, so we’re not taking risks,” team physio Bayjedul Islam informed local media this morning.
Bangladesh have brought in Mahedi Hasan as the like-for-like off-spinning all-rounder, his first 50-over appearance since the 2023 World Cup meeting with the same opposition in Pune. Fast bowler Shoriful Islam also returns, with Nahid Rana given a breather. Shanto admitted at the toss that the side “haven’t quite nailed the death overs yet, but batting first gives us a chance to put a score on and build pressure.”
Australia, one down in the series, have reacted by leaving out Matthew Short after three successive ducks and resting seamer Nathan Ellis. In come two left-armers: 21-year-old Oliver Peake slots in at No. 7, while Ben Dwarshuis adds variety to the attack. Captain-keeper Josh Inglis appeared relaxed: “We probably would’ve batted first, but the surface shouldn’t change that much.”
Spin is expected to dominate as the day wears on, so Adam Zampa’s overs – and Mahedi’s for Bangladesh – could prove decisive. Former Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore, watching for television, noted, “Mirpur can flatten out after 25 overs, but the new ball still does a bit.”
Playing XIs
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Tawhid Hridoy, Litton Das (wk), Mosaddek Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanvir Islam.
Australia: Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis (capt & wk), Matthew Renshaw, Alex Carey, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Oliver Peake, Xavier Bartlett, Ben Dwarshuis, Adam Zampa, Riley Meredith.
First ball is 9.00 am local; the forecast is clear, the stakes obvious. Whoever adjusts quickest on a tired pitch should walk away with both the day and the series momentum.
