Pune (Maharashtra): On a high after all-rounder Glenn Maxwell snatched a seemingly improbable victory from the jaws of defeat against Afghanistan with his blistering unbeaten 201, Australia will be looking to record their seventh successive win when they take on a depleted Bangladesh in an inconsequential league stage game of the ICC Cricket World Cup here on Saturday.
The two sides will face each other in a day game at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Gahunje on the outskirts of the city. For the record, Australia have already qualified for the semi-final and will take on South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on November 16. Bangladesh has already been knocked out of the tournament but with Sri Lanka's defeat against New Zealand, they have a good chance to end up in the top eight and qualify for the Champions Trophy 2025.
However, the Australian top and middle order faltered against Afghanistan at the Wankhede on Tuesday and the Pat Cummins-led side was reeling at 91/7. On a batting-friendly track and against a depleted Bangladesh attack sans regular skipper Shakib Al Hasan, Australia look like absolute favourites.
The likes of David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, and Marnus Labuschange will be more than eager to pummel the Bangladesh attack to submission.
If all of them play their best game on Saturday ahead of the all-important semi-final, Bangladesh bowlers will have a horrendous time. Ditto for the Australian bowlers led by skipper Pat Cummins. They would like to forget the hammering by Ibrahim Zadran, who became the first Afghanistan batter to score a World Cup hundred and come afresh.
Australia spinner Adam Zampa will have a crucial role to play and he has always provided the breakthrough when his skipper needed one. The likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Cummins himself along with all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, Zampa, and Maxwell, who bowls part-time, will be keen to ask probing questions to the Bangladesh top and middle order.
After having lost their first two games against India at Chennai and South Africa at Lucknow, the turnaround began for Australia. Since then, they have not looked back and have won six games on the trot. They would be keen to win their seventh and go into the semis with their confidence sky-high.
For Bangladesh, this was their worst World Cup as described by skipper Shakib Al Hasan and they would be keen to end the disastrous campaign on a high note. But for that, they would have to perform as a unit. Batters like Litton Das and Mahmudullah will have to take responsibility and get runs under their belt.
In the absence of Shakib, the bowling attack looks even weaker and they will also need to rise to the occasion and perform at their best. Agreed, cricket is full of uncertainties, but at least for now, a marauding Australia looks firm favourites against a listless Bangladesh.
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