Tigers clinch first-ever T20I win against Australia

Nasum Ahmed was the star with four wickets and Bangladesh spun a spin web around Australia to win the first T20I of the five-match series by 23 runs at Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Tuesday. The win was also Bangladesh's first-ever T20I win against Australia, having lost in four previous meetings.

The Tigers made a game out of it early in the Australia innings as the visitors lost three top-order batsmen in the first three overs in chase of Bangladesh's 131 for 7 in the first T20I as Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today.

Bangladesh were off to a great start when Mehedi Hasan castled Alex Carey out for a duck in the very first delivery of the innings with a delivery that skidded in. The batsman played for the turn but was bamboozled by the youngster.

Nasum Ahmed was pulled to deep mid-wicket for six in the second over but then Josh Phillip decided to come down the track only to find the ball turning away sharply and was stumped by Nurul Hasan.

Bangladesh then brought in Shakib to the attack next over and it paid immediate dividends as the Tigers' ace all-rounder removed the experienced Moises Henriques with his very first delivery. It was evident that the slow nature of the wicket did not stop the spinners from getting good purchase off it. Mitchell Marsh and Matthew Wade then took Australia to 28 for 3 as the Powerplay ended.

Australia then lost their fourth wicket when Wade smacked a Nasum delivery down the leg side straight to man at short fine leg and the pressure started to tell. Marsh started his counterattack and prevailed for some time but Australia were set back by Ashton Agar departing to hit wicket after a 12-ball 7 off Nasum. Marsh hit Shakib for six over mid-off, chancing his arm and then survived a close leg-before shout which Bangladesh reviewed to no avail in the 15th over. Next over, Nasum struck again, getting the wicket that prized wicket of Marsh out after a run-a-ball 45 as Shoriful Islam ran in from square-leg to take a good catch.

Mustafizur Rahman, who bowled economically in his earlier spells, got his cutters to work from him and Ashton Turner, threatening to cut loose, hit Fizz for four in the second delivery of the 18th over but was bamboozled by a cutter next delivery and skied it before Mahmudullah Riyad managed to keep his calm to completed the catch at cover. Shoriful then removed Andrew Tye and Adam Zampa for ducks in the 19th over to finish with figures of 2 for 19 in three overs. Fizz then cleaned up Starc's stumps with the very last delivery of the Australia innings to win by 23 runs. Fizz finished with 2 for 16 runs in four overs. Nasum was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets for 19 runs in four overs.