History made! Tigers win maiden series against Aussies

Bangladesh started the series with no win against Australia in T20Is but in the space of four days, they made history by sealing their first-ever series victory over them in any form of cricket. On Friday, they defended 127 successfully in the third T20I of the five-match series and wrapped up the series 3-0. 

Mahedi Hasan successfully defended 22 in the last over after a magnificent penultimate over from Mustafizur and Australia fell 10 runs short. Mitchell Marsh's excellent fifty wasn't enough for the visitors. 127 was Bangladesh's lowest ever total defended in T20Is.

Earlier, Mahmudullah, the Bangladesh captain, won the toss for the first time in the series and elected to bat. With the series on the line, the visitors made as many as three changes to the XI. Ben McDermott replaced Josh Phillippe who had a torrid time with the bat in the series. Experienced Daniel Christian featured in the XI for the first time in the series.

Unlike the first two matches, Wade opted for spin straight away and the tactic worked pretty well for Australia. 

Josh Hazlewood got the first breakthrough as Mohammad Naim edged the ball to the keeper in the last ball of the second over. 

Soumya Sarkar's woes with the bat continued as Adam Zampa trapped him leg-before in the first ball of the third over. Bangladesh were in trouble at three for two then.

Mahmudullah joined Shakib Al Hasan in the crease after Soumya got out. Wade kept rotating the bowlers in an attempt to net let the batters settle down. 

Shakib took Mitchell Marsh on in the eighth over, smashing two boundaries. Bangladesh scored 15 off that over and when it looked like the innings was gaining a bit of momentum, Shakib was sent back by Zampa. The southpaw made 26 off 17 including four boundaries. 

Skipper leading from the front!

Afif Hossain, player of the match of the previous game, walked out to bat at six. The youngster slogged an Ashton Agar delivery for six in the 10th over. Bangladesh were 60 for three at the end of the 10th over.

But Afif was run-out in the 12th over courtesy of a brilliant direct hit from Alex Carey, completely against the run of play. The southpaw scored a four and a six in his breezy knock of 13-ball-19.

Hazlewood came back in the 14th over and got rid of Shamim Hossain, leaving Bangladesh tottering at 81 for five. 

Nurul Hasan, coming in at seven, smashed a beautiful straight six off Zampa in the 15th over. Bangladesh took 12 off that over and were 93 for five with five overs remaining. 

Australia were very agile in the field and it was Moises Henriques whose direct throw sent Nurul Hasan back to the pavilion. Nurul was looking very good but had to go as the second batter who was run out. 

Mahmudullah reached a hard-fought fifty in the final over of the innings but was cleaned up by debutant Ellis in the next ball. The Tasmanian fast bowler picked up Mustafizur Rahman and Mahedi Hasan in his next two deliveries and became the first-ever bowler to bag a hat-trick on debut T20Is. Bangladesh couldn't score more than 127 for nine after 20 overs. 

Matthew Wade promoted himself to open the innings but his miseries continued as Nasum Ahmed got him in the second over. Nasum accounted for his wicket for the second time in the series. 

Bangladesh bowlers started off really well and conceded just 20 runs in the first six overs. 

The pressure was building and Mitchell Marsh broke the shackles by hitting a four and a six off Nasum in the 7th over.

Australia's run-rate was below six at the end of the 10th over but they had as many as nine wickets in hand and an in-form Mitchell Marsh in the middle and a well-set Ben McDermott.

McDermott was deceived by a Mustafizur Rahman cutter in the 13th over but Shoriful Islam at short leg dropped a simple catch. Mustafizur gave away just one run in that over, putting pressure on Australia. 

McDermott tried to hit his way out of trouble in the next over but was cleaned up by Shakib. Shakib broke the important 63-run partnership between Marsh and McDermott, bringing Bangladesh back into the game. 

Shoriful, after being hit for quite a few in the first two overs and dropping a sitter,  redeemed himself to get the better of Henriques in the 15th over. 

Bangladesh bowlers dried up the boundaries and Australia required 48 runs off the last five overs with seven wickets in hand.

Shoriful struck once again in his next over and this time it was the well-set Marsh. Australia needed 34 off the last three and Marsh's dismissal put Australia on the back foot. Shoriful, however, was hit for two fours in the same over and Christian and Carey brought the equation down to 23 off 12.

Take that, Australia!

Mustafizur Rahman bowled an amazing penultimate over, giving away only one run. Although he didn't get a wicket, the left-arm seamer conceded just nine off his four overs.

Mahedi Hasan, the off-spinner, was entrusted with the final over. Defending 22, he was struck for a huge six by Carey off the first ball. He came back strongly and conceded only one in the next two balls. 

Drama intensified as Mahedi bowled a no-ball but the off-spinner held his nerves to concede just three off the next three balls. Australia only managed to score 117 for four after 20 overs, falling short by 10 runs. 

Shoriful picked up two important wickets and Shakib and Nasum shared two among themselves. 

Skipper Mahmudullah was adjudged man of the match and Mustafiz was the valuable player of the match.