Connolly slams 149 as Aussies edge home in one-wicket thriller

Cooper Connolly scored his maiden international century, hitting 149 off 134 balls, to lead Australia to a one-wicket win over Bangladesh in the third ODI in Dhaka on Sunday night. While Australia won the match, Bangladesh secured a 2-1 series victory, marking their first-ever series win against Australia, according to match reports.

Australia chased a target of 275 runs but nearly lost the match after a late-inning batting collapse. The visitors appeared to be in control until nine runs were required from 29 balls, at which point a flurry of wickets pushed the game into the final over.

Shoriful Islam delivered a career-best performance for Bangladesh, finishing with six wickets for 48 runs. He dismissed Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis in quick succession after being recalled to the side in place of Nahid Rana.

Did You Know? Bangladesh’s 2-1 series win is the first time the team has ever won a series against Australia.

How did Cooper Connolly lead Australia to victory?

Connolly anchored the chase with 13 boundaries and six sixes, including a hat-trick of sixes off Taskin Ahmed in the 45th over. His 149 was the highest score of the match by a significant margin; the next highest Australian score was Marnus Labuschagne’s 29.

The match concluded with the last batting pair, Adam Zampa and Riley Meredith, requiring four runs to avoid a series sweep. Zampa sealed the victory with a four through cover with three balls remaining, according to the match record.

“It’s quite nice to get over the line there,” Connolly said during the presentation, noting he was nervous but trusted Zampa and Meredith to finish the game.

Expert Insight: Samantha Carter notes that while Connolly’s century provides a glimpse of future depth, the late-game collapse highlights a recurring instability in the Australian batting unit, which has now lost consecutive series to Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Why was the match outcome significant?

The victory served as a consolation for Australia, as they had already lost the first two games of the three-match contest. Bangladesh’s series win is their fourth straight victory in ODIs, according to the reported statistics.

BAN vs AUS Highlights | AUS VS BAN Highlights | Cooper Connolly 149 RUN | Australia won by 1 wicket

Bangladesh’s total of 5-274 was built on half-centuries from Tawhid Hridoy (83), Litton Das (58no), and Mosaddek Hossain (56no). Stand-in skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bat first.

Australia struggled early in the chase, slipping to 4-134 before Connolly’s performance stabilized the innings. He previously held a national best of 61 not out against India in Adelaide last October.

What happens next for the Australian squad?

The two teams will move to Chattogram on Wednesday to begin a three-game T20I series. The first match is scheduled for June 17 at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium.

The Australian camp announced post-match that allrounder Cameron Green has been withdrawn from the T20 squad. This decision was made to manage his workloads and prepare him for the home Test series against Bangladesh in August.

Future outcomes may depend on whether the Australian batting unit can avoid the collapses seen in the ODI series as they transition to the shorter T20 format.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was the player of the match?
Cooper Connolly was named player of the match for his 149 runs.

What were Shoriful Islam’s final bowling figures?
Shoriful Islam finished with a career-best 6-48.

Why is Cameron Green missing the T20I series?
He was withdrawn to manage workloads and prepare for the home Test series against Bangladesh in August.

Do you think young talents like Cooper Connolly can stabilize the Australian batting unit in future series?