Ellis hat-trick can't save Australia from series loss in Bangladesh
Bangladesh closed out a series-clinching win with another low-scoring victory over Australia in Dhaka.
A hat-trick from debutant Nathan Ellis was in vain as Bangladesh prevailed by 10 runs to claim their first ever T20I series win over Australia.
As in the first two games in the five-match rubber, it was a low-scoring affair in Dhaka, with an anchoring 52 from captain Mahmudullah proving vital.
Shakib Al Hasan scored 26 as he and Mahmudullah added 44 for the third wicket ? a sizable chunk of Bangladesh's 127-9, which hit the buffers when seamer Ellis (3-34) struck with the final three deliveries of the innings to become the first player to take a hat-trick on his first appearance in this format.
While Bangladesh did not bring such firepower to Australia's response, the home attack strangled hopes of victory with a miserly display that limited the tourists to 117-4.
Left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman was the pick with a ludicrously miserly 0-9 from his four overs, while Nasum Ahmed (1-19) and Shakib (1-22) each went at less than a run a ball across their allocations.
Ben McDermott scored 35 at the top of the innings and Mitchell Marsh continued his impressive recent form with 51 from 47 deliveries, although when Shoriful Islam (2-29) had the number three caught at long-on, Alex Carey (20 not out) and Dan Christian (7 not out) were unable to get Australia over the line.
Landmark outing for Zampa
Dhaka has been something of a spinner's paradise and leg-spinner Adam Zampa claimed 2-24, trapping opener Soumya Sarkar lbw on the sweep and having Shakib caught down by Ashton Agar at long-off. It meant Zampa became the second Australian in T20Is to reach 50 wickets after Mitchell Starc.
No runs from Rahman
Perhaps stung by being the second part of Ellis' hat-trick, Mustafizur responded by strangling the life out of Australia. Of his 24 deliveries, 15 were dots ? including five in the penultimate over when the game was taken beyond Carey and Christian.
