Bangladesh produced a historic bowling performance on Thursday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, reducing Australia to 0-3 within the first three overs of their One Day International encounter. The hosts have etched their names into the record books, inflicting a level of humiliation on the Australian batting lineup that remains unprecedented in the team`s history of over 1,000 ODI matches. Australian captain Josh Inglis, who won the toss and elected to bat first, witnessed his top order crumble under immense pressure from the Bangladeshi pace attack.
The downfall began with the third ball of the innings, as Taskin Ahmed delivered a sharp inswinger that bypassed Matthew Short’s defenses to dislodge his stumps. Taskin, who had also struck early in the first match of the series, set the tone for a relentless bowling display. Shortly after, Mustafizur Rahman maintained the pressure, dismissing Cooper Connolly in the second over thanks to a sharp catch by Litton Das. The nightmare for the visitors continued in the very next over, as Mustafizur claimed the scalp of Matt Renshaw, with Litton Das again proving secure in the field.
Statistically, this performance is remarkable. While Australia has faced precarious starts in the past—with their previous worst being three wickets down for five runs—this represents their first instance of losing three wickets for zero runs in ODI cricket. The precision displayed by the Bangladeshi seamers has left the Australian lineup visibly stunned, unable to counter the movement and accuracy on the Mirpur track.
Following the initial collapse, Josh Inglis and Alex Carey attempted to stabilize the innings. However, the partnership was short-lived, as Mustafizur struck again to remove Carey for 13 runs with the team score at 25. This breakthrough further tightened Bangladesh`s grip on the match. The hosts` ability to exploit the conditions and maintain discipline has not only placed them in a commanding position for the match but has also set a significant psychological precedent for the remainder of the series, marking a red-letter day in Bangladesh’s cricket history.
