Mitch Marsh pummelled Bangladesh into submission after Spencer Johnson’s record return with the ball, the pair starring as Australia recorded their most comprehensive series whitewash in Asia.
On a tired Chattogram pitch hosting its second game in 48 hours, Marsh (60 off 28) made light work of his side’s modest 110-run target as the Aussies needed just 11 overs to complete a seven-wicket win in the third and final T20I.
The Tigers had threatened their all-time low score of 70 (against New Zealand in 2016) after slumping to 7-65, but recovered to 8-109 thanks to some late hitting from captain Towhid Hridoy (61 from 51 balls).
Johnson finished with figures of 2-6, the most economical four-over spell ever by an Australian in a men’s T20I. It was a swift recovery after the pasting he copped on the same surface 48 hours earlier when he coughed up 39 runs from two wicketless overs.
“Personally I didn’t get it quite right, yesterday I reflected on that and bounced back today,” said the left-arm paceman playing his first internationals in more than a year after returning from a back injury.
Australia celebrated the result by taking the sponsor-provided motorbikes for a spin around the outfield, the white-ball squad riding high after a tour that began in late-May and took in nine matches in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
“Not sure how I got man of the match,” said Marsh, suggesting Johnson ought to have collected the award.
“The way we adapted to the conditions, each and every game we took our learnings, and I thought we were fantastic with the ball today.
“Had some guys debuting, some coming back after a long time and contributing really well. Great team to be around.”
Only one other Bangladeshi (Rishad Hossain, with 16 off 14) reached double figures as Australia made a statement in their first T20s since their World Cup bust in Sri Lanka earlier this year.
It marked their first clean sweep of a bilateral T20I series (consisting of at least three matches) in Asia.
Australia’s commitment was summed up by Aaron Hardie’s stunning (though ultimately unsuccessful) boundary-line athleticism after which he was unfortunate to eventually see a six signalled.
Bangladesh’s bowlers on the other hand were left fuming at their teammates’ poor fielding. Saif Hassan missed a simple ground ball that gave Marsh one of his seven boundaries, while the Aussie skipper should have been run out on 35 if not for a poor throw.
Marsh raced to a 23-ball fifty and by the time he was caught on the boundary attempting to add to his tally of four sixes, his side was all but home. Tim David (12no off three balls) hit two sixes in three balls to clinch the victory.
Hridoy’s call to bat at the toss had earlier quickly back-fired, the carnage commencing in unfortunate fashion when Tanzid Hasan was run-out backing up at the non-striker’s end in a double-wicket opening over for Johnson.
Parvez Emon’s painful 13-ball 1 left his side on 3-11, with their final Powerplay tally only double that after Joel Davies allowed two boundaries off his first over.
Adam Zampa (2-22) started with a wicket-maiden, bowling the returning Nurul Hasan with a grubber, while fellow leg-spinner Nikhil Chaudhary (1-27) also prospered after being handed the new ball.
The comprehensive series victory might ultimately be forgotten after Australia’s inability to come to grips with Asian conditions four months ago when they failed to make knockout stages of a third consecutive T20 World Cup.
But given they lost to two teams ranked below Bangladesh (currently eighth) during the most recent men’s ICC event (co-hosts Sri Lanka, who sit ninth, and Zimbabwe, ranked 11th), it is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.
Especially given the absence of leading lights like Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green for the final leg of a trip that has included ODIs against Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Bangladesh XI: Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon (wk), Towhid Hridoy (c), Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed
Australia XI: Mitch Marsh (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Matt Renshaw, Nikhil Chaudhary, Joel Davies, Aaron Hardie, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson
Qantas Tour of Bangladesh 2026
Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Adam Zampa
June 9: First ODI: Bangladesh won by 86 runs (DLS Method)
June 11: Second ODI: Bangladesh won by five wickets (DLS Method)
June 14: Third ODI: Australia won by one wicket
Australia T20I squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Nikhil Chaudhary, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Adam Zampa
June 17: First T20I: Australia won by four wickets
June 19: Second T20I: Australia won by seven runs
June 21: Third T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST
All matches exclusive on Kayo Sports and Fox Cricket
