Tessa Lee, Sports journalist reporting on global leagues since 2021.
Australia recorded its first ODI loss to Bangladesh in 21 years after suffering an 86 run defeat via the Duckworth Lewis Stern method in the opening match of the series in Dhaka. Bangladesh posted 8 for 284 at the Sher e Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday before rain and lightning halted Australia's chase at 9 for 191 after 42.2 overs. The result gives Bangladesh a rare victory over Australia and an early advantage in the three match series.
Bangladesh produced a disciplined all round performance after being sent in to bat by acting Australian captain Josh Inglis.
The hosts built their innings around valuable contributions from Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mosaddek Hossain, who all scored half centuries.
Tanzid made 54 at the top of the order, while captain Shanto added 67 to keep the scoreboard moving through the middle overs.
Mosaddek leads Bangladesh to competitive total
Mosaddek Hossain delivered the standout innings of the day, finishing unbeaten on 86 and helping Bangladesh reach a challenging total of 284.
His knock ensured the home side accelerated effectively in the closing overs and capitalised on Australia's mistakes in the field.
Australia missed several opportunities throughout the innings, with dropped catches proving costly as Bangladesh continued to build partnerships.
Xavier Bartlett was the pick of the Australian bowlers, taking 3 for 38, but the visitors struggled to consistently apply pressure.
Speaking after the match, Inglis admitted Australia had fallen short in all areas.
"We dropped four or five catches. I thought if it was somewhere around 230 to 240, it was very chaseable," he said.
Australia struggle in run chase
Australia's reply never gained sustained momentum despite a handful of promising individual performances.
Alex Carey looked set for a major contribution before falling for 47, while Cooper Connolly added 35 after making a solid start.
Cameron Green was the lone Australian batter to reach a half century, remaining unbeaten on 52 and fighting until rain ended the contest.
However, regular wickets prevented Australia from building the partnerships required to challenge Bangladesh's total.
The visitors lost wickets in clusters and found it difficult to score freely against a disciplined bowling attack.
Nahid Rana shines with the ball
Fast bowler Nahid Rana was the chief destroyer for Bangladesh, claiming 4 for 41 in an impressive display.
His pace and aggression troubled Australia's batting lineup throughout the chase and helped put the home side firmly in control.
Bangladesh's bowlers maintained pressure from both ends and took advantage of Australia's inability to convert starts into significant scores.
The result marked only Bangladesh's second victory against Australia in 23 ODI meetings and their first success against the Australians in the format since 2005.
Australia looking for quick response
Australia now faces the challenge of rebounding quickly in the remaining matches of the series.
Carey acknowledged the team's shortcomings and stressed the importance of learning from the defeat.
"Our fielding was a bit sloppy. With the bat we lost clumps of wickets. Not a great way to start the series, but it is a series and we have two to go," Carey said.
"We created a number of chances but weren't able to hang on. Hopefully we'll be cleaner in that and can respond on Thursday."
The second ODI will also be played in Dhaka on Thursday, giving Australia an immediate opportunity to level the series.
While the tourists entered the contest as strong favourites, Bangladesh demonstrated that home conditions and disciplined execution can challenge even the world's leading teams.
For Australia, improvements in both fielding and batting will be essential if they are to avoid a rare series defeat against Bangladesh.
Bangladesh will take confidence from a complete performance that combined strong batting, effective bowling and sharp execution under pressure. The hosts now hold a 1 to 0 series lead and will be aiming to secure a historic series victory when the teams meet again in Dhaka.