Australia opt to bat against Bangladesh


Afp May 05, 2010

BRIDGETOWN: Australia captain Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bat against Bangladesh in their World Twenty20 match at the Kensington Oval on Wednesday.

Ryan Harris, a late replacement in Australia's squad for injured fellow fast bowler Brett Lee, came in for Mitchell Johnson after the left-arm quick was ruled out with an elbow infection.

Batsmen Jahirul Islam and Aftab Ahmed were drafted into the Bangladesh side with Tamim Iqbal and Suhrawadi Shuvo the men to make way.

Victory for Australia would guarantee their place in the second round but even a loss could still send Clarke's men through to the Super Eights on superior run-rate after their initial 34-run win over Pakistan.

The victory would also ensure Pakistan moving on to the Super Eights round.

By contrast Bangladesh, who lost to Pakistan by 21 runs, not only needed to win against Australia to go through to the second phase but by a sufficiently wide margin to improve their negative run rate, which is currently the worst of any side in the group.

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