Australia seek another clinical show against Bangladesh

Having started their T20 World Cup campaign with an emphatic win against South Africa, Australia will look to sustain that momentum when they face Bangladesh in their second game.

There were positives for Australia beyond the margin of victory. Phoebe Litchfield's counterattacking half-century came when the innings needed it most after early setbacks. Contributions from across the middle and lower order once again highlighted the depth that has long been one of Australia's biggest strengths.

Even so, Australia will expect improvements. Beth Mooney and Georgia Voll have yet to make an impact. Against Bangladesh, they will be looking for another clinical display.

For Bangladesh, the win against the Netherlands provided a boost, especially considering it was only their second T20 World Cup victory since beating Ireland in 2014. They went winless in 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2023 before defeating Scotland in the 2024 edition. An upset here would not only strengthen their chances but also throw Group A wide open.

To pull that off, Bangladesh will need all departments firing. A disciplined bowling effort, a fifty on T20 World Cup debut for Juairiya Ferdous, a handy 26 from Dilara Akter and a match-finishing 37 not out from Sharmin Akhter were among the positives from their opening game.

When: Wednesday, June 17 at 10:30 AM Local Time (3:00 PM IST)

What to expect: Leeds will host its first match of the 2026 T20 World Cup. The average first-innings total here is 133, and the average first-innings total in victories is 154. Spinners have had more success at Leeds than pacers: 72 wickets at an average of 20.55 and economy of 6.77 vs 62 wickets at 24.01 and 7.25.

Australia: Likely to stick with four spinners, leaving Tahlia McGrath on the bench.

Probable XI: Beth Mooney (wk), Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molineux (C), Kim Garth, Alana King

Bangladesh: Might bring in an additional spin option – Sultana Khatun or Nahida Akter – in place of Fariha Trisna.

Probable XI: Dilara Akter, Juairiya Ferdous, Sharmin Akhter, Nigar Sultana (c & wk), Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Shanjida Akter Meghla, Nahida Akter/Sultana Khatun

• Phoebe Litchfield has scored 375 runs in 12 T20 games at Leeds, while Annabel Sutherland has bagged 11 wickets in eight games here
• Nigar Sultana has the most runs for a Bangladesh player against Australia – 171 runs in 5 innings at an average of 42.75 and a strike rate of 91.44

"We've played a bit against them the last couple of years, had a good series in Bangladesh, so we feel like we've got a good sense of their bowlers. We've done that and feel confident coming into the game." – Annabel Sutherland

"Australia is a very strong team, so it will be a big challenge. Our target will definitely be to win the match. Against Australia, I will try to maintain the same approach. My focus will be on making the best use of the powerplay and playing a big innings." – Juairiya Ferdous