Hridoy, Litton and Mosaddek carry Bangladesh to 274 in quest for 3-0
Bangladesh Eyes Historical Whitewash in Final ODI Clash
Bangladesh put themselves in a strong position to secure a historic 3-0 series whitewash against Australia, finishing their innings at 274 for 5. A superb batting display led by Towhid Hridoy, alongside crucial contributions from Litton Das and Mosaddek Hossain, anchored the home side after an early wobble. Facing extreme weather conditions and a disciplined Australian bowling attack, the Bangladesh batting lineup showed immense character to post a highly competitive total on the board.
Towhid Hridoy was the star of the show, anchoring the innings with a brilliant 83. He was ably supported by Litton Das, who scored an unbeaten 58 despite suffering from severe physical discomfort, and Mosaddek Hossain, who injected late momentum with an aggressive 56 not out. Together, these key performances ensured that Bangladesh recovered from a precarious position to put Australia on the back foot.
Early Blows and the Captain’s Stand
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Bangladesh’s innings began in a disappointingly familiar fashion. Australian fast bowler Xavier Bartlett struck with just his second delivery of the match, dismissing Soumya Sarkar for a duck. Sarkar dragged an ambitious drive onto his own stumps, marking the fourth opening partnership of this bilateral series that failed to survive the very first over of the innings.
With the scoreboard reading 0 for 1, survival against the moving new ball became the immediate priority. Stand-in captain Najmul Hossain Shanto—who was leading the side in place of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, sidelined due to a concussion suffered in the second ODI—joined opener Tanzid Hasan at the crease. The duo batted with determination to weather the early storm. The shackles were finally broken in the sixth over when Shanto struck Bartlett through midwicket for a boundary, and Tanzid confidently used his feet to launch the bowler over mid-off for a massive six.
Renshaw’s Off-Spin Triggers Middle-Order Wobble
Just as the partnership was looking solid, Australia found a breakthrough through an unlikely source. Matt Renshaw, whose off-spin has been one of the few shining lights for the visitors during this tour, was introduced into the attack. He struck immediately in his opening over when Tanzid Hasan attempted a slog-sweep, only to find the fielder at mid-on. Tanzid departed after a fighting knock, leaving Bangladesh at 52 for 2.
Renshaw’s golden arm struck again shortly after. Najmul Hossain Shanto, attempting to sweep the spinner, got a thick bottom-edge that deflected straight back into his stumps. Shanto’s dismissal left Bangladesh in a vulnerable position at 61 for 3 in the 15th over, threatening to derail the hosts’ plans of setting a massive target.
The Solid Recovery: Hridoy and Litton Combine
Faced with a potential collapse, Towhid Hridoy and Litton Das joined forces to rebuild the innings. The pair exhibited excellent maturity, rotating the strike consistently and punishing loose deliveries. As they wore down the Australian bowlers, the scoring rate gradually increased. A noticeable shift in momentum occurred during the 26th over when Litton targeted paceman Riley Meredith, hitting him for a boundary and a six on consecutive deliveries.
However, the intense heat and humidity in Mirpur began to take a heavy toll on the batsmen. Litton, who was visibly struggling with severe cramps, was forced to retire hurt in the 32nd over after a resilient knock. At that point, the fourth-wicket partnership had added 92 runs, leaving Bangladesh in a much healthier position.
Mosaddek’s Fireworks and Hridoy’s Missed Century
Litton’s departure did not disrupt Bangladesh’s rhythm. Mosaddek Hossain, continuing his impressive return to the national side, wasted no time in taking the attack to the opposition. Scoring at a run-a-ball, Mosaddek quickly found his groove, hitting three boundaries in a span of five balls against the pace duo of Riley Meredith and Ben Dwarshuis. His aggressive intent allowed Hridoy to anchor the other end safely.
Hridoy looked poised to score his second ODI century but fell short on 83. Attempting to clear the ropes, he picked out the fielder at deep midwicket, ending a sensational knock that included elegant strokeplay. Mosaddek carried on to reach his second half-century of the series off just 42 deliveries, finishing unbeaten on 56.
Late Australian Fightback and Team Selection Notes
Despite the onslaught, the Australian bowlers pulled things back commendably in the final overs. The last five overs of the innings yielded only 32 runs, preventing Bangladesh from launching a massive final assault. Litton Das returned to the crease in the 49th over to finish unbeaten on 58, guiding the hosts to 274 for 5.
Both teams saw significant changes to their lineups for this encounter. Bangladesh rested fast bowler Nahid Rana, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz missed out due to his head injury. Australia made a bold call by dropping opener Matt Short, who had registered three consecutive ducks stretching back to the Pakistan series, and opted to rest Nathan Ellis. Off the field, the start of this crucial ODI overlapped with Australia’s FIFA World Cup opening match against Turkey, leading the local Australian broadcaster to prioritize the football coverage on their main channel.
Shaan Cooper is a cricket journalist and SEO content writer from Bengaluru who focuses on breaking cricket news, live match coverage, and player performance stories. Her writing style combines fast-paced reporting with detailed cricket knowledge tailored for digital sports platforms.
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