Dubai: Leg-spinner Adam Zampa returned a career-best five-wicket haul in the shortest format as Australia crushed Bangladesh by eight wickets to take second spot in Group 1 and keep their semifinals hopes alive in the T20 World Cup here on Thursday.
Bangladesh innings fell like house of cards as neither the batters could contend with the Australian pacers nor they negotiated the spinners well and were all out for just 74 in 15 overs after being asked to take first strike.
Zampa (5/19) maintained splendid line and length throughout to trouble the batters, who found it difficult to read him.
Fast bowlers Mitchell Starc (2/21) and Josh Hazlewood (2/8) shared four wickets between them while Glenn Maxwell (1/6) dismissed one batter.
Already out of the semifinal race, Bangladesh could not apply themselves even as the ball was coming nicely on to the bat. They could not win a single game, losing all five matches in the Super 12 stage.
Australia knocked off the required runs in just 6.2 overs to replace South Africa in the second spot.
They now have six points, same as that of Proteas but the massive win boosted their net run rate (1.031), which is now better than the Temba Bavuma-led side (0.742).
Skipper Aaron Finch (40) and David Warner (18) added 58 runs in five overs for an explosive start. Mitchell Marsh (16 not out) and Maxwell (0) took the side past the finish line.
Finch was pleased with his side's clinical performance.
"Mitchell Starc set the tone and Hazlewood followed with that in the second over. We thought we would take the opportunity to win big if we got the chance, but you can't plan for that. At the halfway mark, we knew (we could get past South Africa)," said Finch.
"When you have that opportunity, you have to take it. Zampa's 5/19 was outstanding."
Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah was short for words at his team's dismal show in the tournament.
"When you have these sort of performances, it is hard to say much. There are a lot of areas we have to look at, especially our batting. The wickets that we have played on have been among the best for batting. We have to figure out what went wrong when we go back to Bangladesh," he said.
