Australia fixes all its T20 World Cup problems in 36-minute Bangladesh batting massacre

Australia needed a win over Bangladesh to keep its T20 World Cup hopes alive but an unexpected massacre has flipped the tournament on its head.

What a result from Australia. Photo: Fox Sports

Australia have fixed their World Cup problems after monstering Bangladesh in an extraordinary thrashing.

Australia bowled Bangladesh out for just 73 before romping to the score in just 6.2 overs when Mitchell Marsh smashed a six for the second biggest win in World Cup history.

Australia secured the win after Aaron Finch smashed 40 off 20 balls before he was dismissed and Marsh brought the result home scoring 16 off just 5 balls.

The game starts at 9pm AEDT. Catch Australia take on Bangladesh at the ICC T20 World Cup on Thursday night (9pm AEDT) on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today.

And the result has fixed all Australia's problems in the 36-minutes it took Australia to chase down the runs.

The 82 balls remaining was easily Australia's biggest ever win, beating the previous best of 58 balls remaining against Sri Lanka at the 2007 World Cup in South Africa. It was also Bangladesh's biggest ever loss by balls remaining.

Coming into the game, it was a grim looking ladder as Australia were a full net run rate point behind South Africa.

It was shaping as Australia needing an absolute thrashing win in remaining fixtures against Bangladesh or the West Indies and require England to beat South Africa because of the dire net run rate predicament.

Adam Zampa was enormous. Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Australia entered the game with a net run-rate of -0.627 while South Africa were sitting pretty at a NRR of +0.742. If both teams finished the Super 12 stage on the same points and the net run rates in a similar position, the Proteas would go through.

However, the absolute humiliation of Bangladesh has lifted Australia's run rate to +1.031 and back into second in the group, breathing new life in the campaign as Australia's fate is now in its own hands.

Australia needed reach 74 in 8.1 overs to go ahead of the net run rate and did it with ease.

If both sides lost or drew their respective final games, Australia would go through to the semi-finals after the dominant display.

Well done to the Aussie boys in the #ICCT20WorldCup2021 hammering B’desh ! Loved the attitude of the boys. No fear & all went into beast mode. More of that & the boys will have a huge say in this WC. I know B’desh are way out of form but the attitude was there tonight !

— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) November 4, 2021

The result was set up by Bangladesh's putrid batting display.

The side dropped to 3/10 inside the first three overs and never really recovered as Adam Zampa destroyed Bangladesh for figures of 5/19, the second best ever figures by an Australian in a T20 International.

ESPNcricinfo's Andrew McGlashan said of the result: "Australia's net run-rate now 1.031. Above South Africa's. That's a huge swing. Perfect day for them."

Speaking on Fox Cricket, Mark Waugh didn't hold back.

“That is woeful. That is an embarrassing display," he said. "Australia bowled well but that was poor. This is meant to be a T20 World Cup. You wouldn’t find that in third grade in a park.”

Brendan Julian said: "That was harsh."

Waugh replied: "Sorry third graders."

Aaron Finch then crushed four sixes to make short work of the innings as Marsh plundered the remaining runs.

That's how Bangladesh played. Photo: Fox Sports

Although it was a stunning performance from Australia, Bangladesh had endured a horrid World Cup campaign, becoming the whipping boys in the Super 12 tournament.

ESPN's Sreshth Shah tweeted: "Is shameful the word? Disappointing? Embarrassing? Bangladesh have let too many people down with their cricket in this tournament. Being home-track bullies is simply not good enough."

Indian cricket legend VVS Laxman wrote: "Bangladesh's poor World Cup ends with another heavy loss in the Super 12s. They are a much better team than this, time to return to the drawing board and regroup. Zampa was Australia's hero, five wickets in a T20 game is just wow!"

Bangladesh have produced some great performances in the Cricket World Cup and beaten the likes of England, India, South Africa, Pakistan, West Indies. But in T20 World Cups, they have been very poor. Just one win against a Test playing nation in 7 T20 WCs. It's a damning stat!

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) November 4, 2021

Australia play the West Indies on Saturday at 9pm AEDT, while South Africa and England play on Sunday morning at 1am AEDT.