Bangladesh clinch first-ever ODI series win over Australia

Bangladesh achieved a historic milestone on Thursday, clinching their first-ever One-Day International series triumph over Australia. The hosts secured the series by winning the second ODI by five wickets, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

In a match affected by rain, Bangladesh chased a DLS-revised target of 192 in 41 overs. They reached the target with 36 balls to spare, capping off a remarkable performance. Australia's innings faltered early, losing three wickets without scoring. Marnus Labuschagne's unbeaten 55 and Xavier Bartlett's 52 provided a crucial rescue, guiding Australia to 187-8 in their allotted 42 overs. Opening bowlers Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed were instrumental for Bangladesh, claiming three wickets each.

The victory extends Bangladesh's impressive home record, marking their fifth consecutive ODI series win on home soil. This follows previous successes against Sri Lanka, West Indies, Pakistan, and New Zealand. "It's an amazing feeling, and the way we played this series, we showed a lot of courage," said Bangladesh vice-captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. "We have been working really hard (in the) last few months and the way we played the last two matches, it's outstanding. And I'm really proud to be a part of this team."

Reigning ODI world champions Australia, who are currently missing several key players, have now lost two consecutive ODI series, having previously gone down to Pakistan. The Bangladesh chase saw a brief wobble after the departures of Najmul Hossain Shanto and Soumya Sarkar, who both scored 42. However, Towhid Hridoy's unbeaten 40 and captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz's 22 not out guided the team to victory with an unbroken 51-run partnership.

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It’s an amazing feeling, and the way we played this series, we showed a lot of courage.