Key events
6th over: Australia 40-1 (Healy 27, Perry 1) Healy whacks the first ball of Shorifa’s over for four over backward square leg, but Mooney gives Bangladesh a hint of hope with a rush of blood that hands the hosts the first wicket of the innings. Australia look to have put the tricks back in the bag, with Ellyse Perry coming in at her more familiar No 3.
WICKET! Mooney st Sultana b Khatun 10 (Australia 39-1)
Mooney dances down the pitch but is beaten in the flight before the ball spins away. Bangladesh keeper Nigar Sultana makes no mistake to lift the bails before the Australia opener has even attempted to get back in time.
5th over: Australia 34-0 (Healy 22, Mooney 10) Beth Mooney starts the over with an outrageous reverse sweep / ramp shot that flies over the keeper’s head and deserved more than just a single. Fariha Islam then stops the flow of runs with a tidy over, the best of the innings so far for Bangladesh.
4th over: Australia 30-0 (Healy 20, Mooney 9) Marufa Akter switches ends as Bangladesh turn to pace at both ends. Healy finds another boundary, this time hitting straighter through mid-on, as the Australia skipper starts to look more ominous.
3rd over: Australia 22-0 (Healy 14, Mooney 7) SIX! Bangladesh make an early change with Fariha Trisna coming into the attack. Healy shows her little respect with a punishing six over mid-wicket off the first ball, while the visitors pick up easy singles from there. Australia have found a boundary in every over so far without needing to take too many risks.
2nd over: Australia 13-0 (Healy 6, Mooney 6) Run out chance missed! A bright start for Bangladesh hasn’t quite got the reward it deserves, as some sharp fielding almost catches Mooney out running towards the non-striker’s end. The opener eased up as she approached the crease and was fortunate the throw went centimetres wide of the stumps. Healy resumes normal proceedings with a vicious boundary off Shorifa Khatun.
1st over: Australia 7-0 (Healy 1, Mooney 5) Healy dropped! Marufa Akter opens the bowling for Bangladesh and immediately finds plenty of movement through the air. Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney look comfortable as they pick up seven easy runs but the teenage-quick almost claims the vital wicket of the Australia skipper. Healy was through a drive too quickly and hit the ball straight back to Marufa, but the right-armer couldn’t get her hands right in time to grasp the chance. What a start that would’ve been for Bangladesh!
Back in Dhaka, Australia have shown their intent to post a big score with skipper Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney back at the top of the order with play about to get under way.
Another women’s white-ball clash has just wrapped up, as England defeated New Zealand by 56 runs in the second ODI Hamilton.
Tammy Beaumont blasted 81 to guide the tourists to 252 in the first innings, as the White Ferns fell well short of their target.
England now hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Catch up on how that match played out:
Australia have rarely been tested by Bangladesh as their squad have almost taken it in turns to put on a show while competing amongst themselves for spots in the XI.
Georgia Wareham did the damage in the second T20I, the leg-spinner putting herself forward as a top-order option with 57 runs from 30 balls.
Sophie Molineux and Tayla Vlaeminck have also pressed their claims to be part of the Australia squad to return to Bangladesh for the Women’s T20 World Cup.
Australia win the toss and elect to bat first in the third women’s T20I against Bangladesh.
Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (c/wk), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Grace Harris, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck
Bangladesh XI: coming soon!
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to the third women’s T20I between Bangladesh and Australia.
This is the last match in the T20I series, and the last of six white-ball matches between the teams on Australia’s tour of Bangladesh that started with three ODIs.
The imperious visitors need one more victory in this T20I to complete a clean sweep of both series in what has been a near-flawless preparation for the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this year.
The reigning Women’s T20 World Cup champions have used the tour to trial new tactics and talents, with Georgia Wareham promoted up the order and making the most of her opportunity with a first international half-century in the second T20I.
Whether Australia have any surprises in store for us in the third T20I will be revealed shortly, with the toss and team news to be with us soon from what looks like perfect conditions in Dhaka.
Play starts at 12pm at the Sher-e Bangla National Stadium, also known as 5pm AEDT for those following the over-by-over report from the conversely wet and wild east coast of Australia.
I’m Martin Pegan, drop me an email or send a message on X / Twitter at @martinpegan.
Let’s get into it!