Road Safety World Series 2022: Australia Legends beat Bangladesh in last-ball thriller, Haddin steals the show

Indore, Sep 18: Brad Haddin stole the show with his nerve of steel as Australia Legends defeated Bangladesh Legends side by three wickets in a last-over thriller in match number 11 of the Road Safety World Series 2022 on Sunday (September 18).

Haddin hammered 21 runs in the final over as Australia prevented Bangladesh from pulling off an upset in a nail-biting contest. Haddin - who walked into the middle at number five - smashed an unbeaten 57 off 35 deliveries to emerge a hero in a sensational win.

With four needed off the last ball of the match, bowled by Abul Hasan, the wicketkeeper-batter hit the boundary towards the mid-wicket and took Australia home in style. The right-handed batter was the lone wolf in the run chase of 159 and deservedly hit the winning shot.

It was a game for Bangladesh Legends to lose as they lost the plot in the final over. All-rounder Elias Sunny put up a stellar show with the bat and ball and had almost single-handedly stunned the mighty Aussies but in vain. However, his stupendous effort went in vain.

The chase of 159 against a beleaguered Bangladesh side looked like a walk in the park for the Aussies but the Men In Green, rather Elias Sunny, had other ideas. Despite opener Cameroon White getting clean bowled for one by Abdur Razzak, the Men In Yellow had a terrific start in the powerplay. Captain Shane Watson and Callum Ferguson shared a stand of 70 runs off 33 deliveries, giving Australia the kind of start they needed.

But Sunny wreaked havoc in the middle overs and ran through the Australian middle-order with his controlled spin bowling. He first castled through Watson's stumps to end his knock for 35 off 21 balls in the seventh over. The left-arm spinner removed Ferguson for 24 (20 balls) in his next over. With that, the floodgates opened for Australia as the pressure of the scoreboard forced the middle-order to commit mistakes.

Nathan Reardon (3) and Brad Hodge (4) became Sunny's next victims and the Australians suddenly found themselves in deep trouble, with five batters back in the dressing room for 90.

However, Haddin kept the scoreboard ticking and added 19 runs on the board with George-Horlin Smith for the sixth wicket, but the latter's defences were breached by Abul Hasan in the 16th over with beauty. But his unbeaten partnership of 37 with Lee proved crucial.

Their spirits were high with the stupendous bowling effort from the spinners, Bangladesh pacers kept the flow of runs in check and also picked up wickets in the death overs but lost steam in the final over.

Sunny returned with impressive figures of 4/8 from his quota of four overs, Razzak picked up two wickets from his quota of 4 overs and conceded 26 runs.

Earlier in the first innings, Bangladesh managed to go past the 100-run mark for the first time in the tournament as they posted 158 for nine after being invited to bat first. Bangladesh lost three wickets in the powerplay as Brett Lee sent Nazimuddin packing for a duck in the first over. Mehrab Hossain was also dismissed cheaply for seven by Dirk Nannes in the fifth over.

John Hastings bowled the fourth over which comprised 15 deliveries, out of which 9 were wide deliveries. The right-arm quick was looking to find his rhythm but couldn't as he conceded 23 runs in that over. Pacers Brett Lee and Dirk Nannes struck inside the powerplay but Bangladesh managed to reach 45 for three by the end of 6 overs, courtesy of Hastings' expensive over.

Hastings was reintroduced for his second spell in the 10th over and picked dismissed Dhiman Ghosh for 1. But the lanky pacer once against lost his flow and bowled five wide balls on the trot. That over from Hastings also ended after 11 deliveries. Wide was the second-highest scorer in the Bangladesh innings, with 33 coming off them.

Bangladesh captain Mohammad Sharif, however, put up a good fight in the death overs and dispatched his Australian counterpart Watson for two maximums in the 17th over before the Aussie bowled a full toss yorker to end his cameo for 14.

In the end, Sunny exploded in the death overs and hammered 32 off 29 balls, while Dolar Mahmud smashed 17 off nine deliveries and helped their team post a respectable total of 158/9.