Australia beat Bangladesh in rain-hit T20 World Cup match

Pat Cummins claimed a hat-trick and David Warner thrashed a quick-fire 53 not out as Australia beat Bangladesh by 28 runs in a weather-disrupted T20 World Cup Super Eight clash in Antigua on Thursday.

Australia vs Bangladesh (Image Source: Google)

- Starc makes history -

Bangladesh, put into bat after losing the toss, struggled to get into any kind of rhythm and their innings slowed to a crawl late on after Cummins took the wickets of Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan and Towhid Hridoy in consecutive deliveries over two overs.

Cummins, restored to the starting line-up, finished with figures of 3-29 while spinner Adam Zampa also impressed with 2-24.

Mitchell Starc meanwhile became the most prolific bowler in the history of white-ball cricket with his 95th World Cup wicket after trapping Tanzid Hasan in the opening over.

Starc's early breakthrough saw him pull one clear of Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga, setting the tone for Australia's bowlers.

Australia's attack kept Bangladesh on the back foot after Starc's opening wicket, with restored Josh Hazlewood opening his spell with a maiden.

Another tidy over from Starc left Bangladesh with just eight runs off the first three overs, although Najmul Hossain Shanto signalled a more aggressive approach with a six off Hazlewood to start the fourth over.

Liton Das lashed a pair of boundaries off Starc in the fifth over as Bangladesh's run rate ticked up to 5.40 runs per over at 27-1.

But the introduction of Zampa slowed the Bangladesh batting and the spinner soon had Liton bowled out after tempting him to sweep in the ninth over to leave Bangladesh at 58-2.

Maxwell struck next, in the 10th over, Rishad Hossain caught by Zampa at short third man for two as Bangladesh reached the halfway stage of the innings on 67-3.

Shanto's dismissal by Zampa for 41 in the 13th over slammed the brakes on Bangladesh, leaving them on 84-4 before Cummins ripped through the lower order to leave Australia a target of 141 to win.