Australia won the toss in a sticky, pre-monsoon Dhaka morning and, without much hesitation, skipper Josh Inglis put Bangladesh in. The move sits in line with the tourists’ recent preference for knowing the target and, as Inglis put it earlier in the week, “keeping things simple in unfamiliar conditions.”
Debut for Liam Scott
All-rounder Liam Scott, 25, finally gets a first ODI cap. He bats at No. 8 today but is likely to sneak up the order if Australia wobble. Cooper Connolly, still finding his feet at this level, has been bumped up to open with Matt Short. The balance feels experimental yet calculated: Nathan Ellis brings his slower-ball mix, Adam Zampa offers the tried-and-tested leg-spin control, and Xavier Bartlett holds the new ball. Left-arm pair Matt Kuhnemann and Ollie Peake are the two to miss out from the XI that wrapped up the Pakistan tour.
Bangladesh strengthen pace, welcome back Mosaddek
Mehidy Hasan Miraz has matched Australia’s shuffle with changes of his own. Nahid Rana – fresh from three five-fors in three series – leads a three-pronged pace unit alongside Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman. In the middle order, Mosaddek Hossain returns after nearly four years away. The experienced right-hander’s calmness could be useful if Bangladesh lose early wickets, something that has hurt them against the new ball in recent months.
First ODI meeting since 2011
Remarkably, these two sides have not met in a bilateral 50-over series for 15 years. Home advantage matters: Bangladesh have won 12 of their last 15 ODIs in Mirpur, mostly by squeezing oppositions with spin after quicks strike up front. Still, a fresh surface today may offer a bit of pace and carry, explaining Inglis’s decision to chase.
Playing XIs
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy, Litton Das (wk), Mosaddek Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Nahid Rana, Tanvir Islam
Australia: Matt Short, Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis (capt/wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Matthew Renshaw, Liam Scott, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa
With monsoon clouds hanging about and both teams brand-new to each other in this format, the contest should tell us plenty – not least how quickly Australia’s newer faces adapt and whether Bangladesh’s pace gamble pays off on home turf.
