Pat Cummins has become just the second Australian to take a T20 World Cup hat-trick, doing so in the Aussies’ opening Super 8 clash against Bangladesh in Antigua.
It also overshadowed a record-breaking night for Mitchell Starc, as the Aussies secured a 28-run weather-affected victory.
Stretching across the 18th and 20th overs of the Bangladesh innings, Mahmudullah was Cummins’ first wicket when he chopped on for 2. Mahedi Hasan was next, caught by Adam Zampa in the deep first ball.
READ MORE: ‘Arrogant and boring’: England’s ‘shambolic’ play rinsed
READ MORE Ex-All Black named in Schmidt’s first Wallabies squad
READ MORE: Maroons greats warned over sideline antics
But Cummins had to wait a whole over before he got his chance to seal it, and eventually did so when he had the established Towhid Hridoy caught at short fine-leg by Josh Hazlewood for 40.
Brett Lee’s hat-trick at the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 also came against Bangladesh, and also came in the Super 8s.
Asthon Agar against South Africa in 2020 and Nathan Ellis against Bangladesh – again – in 2021 are the other two Aussies to have claimed T20 International hat-tricks.
Having won the toss and elected to field, Australia restricted the Tigers to 8-140. In reply, the Aussies were 2-100 in the 12th over when the rain arrived and play was called off.
Earlier, Starc became the most prolific wicket-taker in World Cup history when he bowled Tanzid Hasan in the first over of the Bangladesh innings.
The wicket was his 95th at a World Cup, and moved him clear of Sri Lankan quick Lasith Malinga. It’s Starc’s eighth world cup – three ODI and five T20.
https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1803979373004849620https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1803955570015142325
Australia opted against taking a spin-heavy attack into the match, instead opting to bring Starc and Cummins back into the team at the expense of Nathan Ellis and Ashton Agar.
That decision was immediately ratified when Starc struck in the first over to move past Malinga.
Litton Das and Najmul Hossain Shanto put on 58 for the second wicket and were starting to look dangerous when Zampa made the breakthrough, and bowled Das in the ninth over.
Maxwell made it a double blow in the next over, when he had Rishad Hossain caught for two.
While Shanto was down the other end, the Bangladeshi’s still looked dangerous but as he has done so often, Zampa was the man to remove him in the 13th over, out lbw for 41.
Cummins was pick of the bowlers with 3-29. Zampa finished with 2-24, while Starc, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell all picked up a pole each.
As players came from the field between innings, a rain shower blew over the ground and the covers were brought out, briefly delaying the start of Australia’s chase. It was a sign of things to come.
Once play got underway, Warner was on 5 when he was given a life, dropped by Hridoy diving low and to his left.
The Aussies reached the end of the six-over powerplay at 0-59, before a second interruption for weather.
Players were off the ground for about half an hour before Travis Head (31) and Mitch Marsh (1) fell in quick succession following the resumption.
Warner brought up his half-century with a six over backward square leg, before the weather returned, this time for good. The match was called well after midnight local time.
Cummins’ hat-trick awarded him player-of-the-match honours.
Australia will next play Afghanistan on Sunday morning, with play to commence at 10.30am AEST.