Bangladesh vs Australia, 1st T20I: Preview, predicted XIs, match prediction, live streaming, weather forecast and pitch report
Bangladesh will lock horns against Australia in the first game of their five-match T20I series at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Tuesday.
Bangladesh will look to ride on their performances from the series against Zimbabwe, but Tamim Iqbal’s injury is a big blow. Nevertheless, captain Mahmudullah will hope his side build some momentum as they head into the ICC T20 World Cup qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Australia have had a disastrous five-match T20I series against the West Indies and will look to return to winning ways. With several senior pros rested, the series presents a perfect opportunity for fringe players in the team to make their case for a place in the side for the T20 World Cup.
Match Details
Match: Bangladesh vs Australia, Australia tour of Bangladesh, 2021.
Date: August 3, 2021 (Tuesday).
Time: 5:30 PM (IST).
Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur.
Weather Report
Cloudy skies and thunderstorms are expected for the game. There is a high chance of rainfall, and the temperature could hover between 27 and 32 degrees Celsius.
Pitch Report
The track at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur offers good support to the spinners. Despite being a traditionally slow wicket, scores in the region of 160 can be expected. Considering the humid conditions, the team winning the toss is likely to chase, as dew tends to be a huge factor in the sub-continent.
Predicted Playing XIs
Bangladesh
With Tamim Iqbal Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das out, Bangladesh come into the series shorthanded, but should stick with Mohammad Naim, while Soumya Sarkar returns to the top of the order. Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah will spearhead the middle order, while Taijul Islam and Mossadek Hossain are their spin options.
Predicted XI: Mohammad Naim, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Mahmudullah (c), Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan (w), Nasum Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam.
Australia
Matthew Wade will bat in the middle order with an eye on the T20 World Cup, meaning Josh Philippe and Ben McDermott could start at the top. Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar will lead the spin attack, while Moises Henriques could also have a chance to nail his place in the playing XI.
Predicted XI: Josh Philippe, Ben McDermott, Mitchell Marsh, Moises Henriques, Matthew Wade (capt & wk), Ashton Turner, Dan Christian, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Match Prediction
Australia will be favourites despite having a host of A-list stars unavailable for the series. Bangladesh’s chances have been hit by the absence of Liton Das, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim, so it'll be a stern test for the hosts.
TV and live streaming details
TV: N/A.
Live Streaming: FanCode.