Bangladesh endured a crushing defeat against Australia in the quarter-final of the Hong Kong Sixes Tournament, conceding an astonishing 21 sixes in just 36 deliveries before collapsing with the bat. Akbar Ali’s side struggled both with ball and bat, eventually losing by a massive margin.
The match, held at Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok on Saturday, saw Australia thrash Bangladesh by 54 runs in the first quarter-final. Batting first, Australia amassed a record-breaking 149 for 2 in their allotted six overs. In reply, Bangladesh could only manage 95 for 5, falling well short of the target.
With this dominant win, Australia became the first team to reach the semi-finals of the tournament, while Bangladesh were relegated to the Plate stage and will contest the Plate semi-final on Sunday.
The Australian batters tore apart the Bangladeshi bowling line-up, smashing 21 sixes—the highest number of sixes hit in a single innings of this edition. Their total of 149 runs also set a new tournament record, surpassing Afghanistan’s previous best of 148 against South Africa in the group stage.
Key Australian performances included:
| Player | Runs | Balls | Fours | Sixes | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben McDermott | 51* | 14 | 0 | 8 | Retired not out |
| William Bosisto | 30 | 6 | 0 | 5 | Dismissed |
| Alex Ross (Captain) | 50 | 11 | 2 | 7 | Blistering cameo |
During Bangladesh’s chase, their innings got off to a disastrous start, losing three wickets in the very first over. Mosaddek Hossain Saikat fell on the second ball of the second over, leaving the team reeling at 19 for 4.
However, a brief partnership between Rakibul Hasan and Abu Hider Rony brought some respectability to the total. The pair added 60 runs for the fifth wicket—Rakibul scoring 25 off 10 balls with one four and three sixes, while Rony remained the top scorer with a fighting 50 off 18 balls, hitting two fours and seven sixes.
Chris Green was the pick of the Australian bowlers, claiming three wickets and tightening the screws on Bangladesh’s already faltering innings.
Australia’s comprehensive all-round display not only sealed their semi-final berth but also underlined their dominance in the high-octane six-a-side format, leaving Bangladesh to regroup for the Plate stage.