Australia survived a scare to clinch its first series win since last summer’s Ashes as Matt Renshaw’s all-round excellence came to the fore in Chattogram on Friday night.
Having lost a Twenty20 series in Pakistan in January, been sent packing early from the Twenty20 World Cup and then lost a pair of one-day series already on this tour, the Aussies managed to stall a promising chase from Bangladesh to secure a seven-run win.
It means Australia has an unassailable 2-0 series lead with one match remaining on Sunday. It is the Aussies’ first bilateral T20 series win against Bangladesh.
The result will be heartening for Australia as it starts building toward the dual T20 landmarks of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and a home world cup later that year.
Renshaw’s unbeaten 89 from 52 balls had underpinned Australia’s 5-196 from its 20 overs. No side had ever successfully chased such a high total in a T20I on Bangladeshi soil, but the tourists were quickly on the back foot when Spencer Johnson was blasted for 22 from the second over of the chase. Johnson’s next over went for 17, before the left-arm quick was yanked from the attack.
Tanzid Hasan (30 from 15 balls) was taking the game away from the Aussies before Renshaw continued his stellar run with the ball by lulling the opener into a return catch.
Captain Mitch Marsh took an excellent grab running with the flight of the ball to end the stay of Parvez Hossain Emon (36 from 22) before Joel Davies snared the scalp of Saif Hassan (42 from 33).
Experienced pair Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa proved pivotal at the death as Bangladesh’s middle order floundered.
The Tigers needed 23 runs off the final over – bowled by the recalled Aaron Hardie – with five wickets in hand, but the West Australian all-rounder did enough despite bowling two wides.
Australia made just one change to the team that had beaten the Tigers at the same venue two days earlier, with Hardie returning for his first international appearance in 2026 at the expense of Xavier Bartlett.
On a pitch that proved to be much better for batting than the one used in the series opener, the Aussies chose to bat first but slumped to 3-44 including losing Josh Inglis for 11, continuing a lean run for the gloveman in T20 internationals.
Tim David had batted exclusively at No. 4 when playing for Australia in this format since last October but perhaps in a bid to snap Renshaw from his batting rut, the Queenslander was elevated to the position with David dropping to No. 5.
Their union was a fruitful one, with 97 added from 50 balls as David smoked the hosts and Renshaw built into his innings before launching three straight sixes off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain to reach his 50.
David picked out deep third to depart for 45 but Renshaw — given lives on 55 and 77 — largely maintained the rage.