Bangladesh were bowled out for 172 in the third and final one-day international against Australia in Brisbane, leaving themselves with a challenging task as they sought to avoid a series whitewash. Half-centuries from Sharmin Akhter and Sworna Akhter provided some resistance after an early batting collapse, but the visitors struggled to build the partnerships needed for a competitive total.
The match brought a sharp change in fortunes for Sobhana Mostary, who had made history at the same venue in the previous ODI. She became the first Bangladesh woman to score a century against Australia in the format, producing an impressive 118-run innings in the second match. However, she managed only nine runs in the third encounter, departing as the fourth batter with Bangladesh already under considerable pressure.
Bangladesh’s difficulties began almost immediately after they were asked to bat. The visitors lost three wickets for just 18 runs, putting the top order under pressure and leaving the middle order with the task of rebuilding the innings.
Openers Murshida Khatun and Sharmin Sultana were dismissed for one and six respectively. Captain Nigar Sultana Joty then fell for just three, compounding Bangladesh’s problems in the early stages. With wickets falling rapidly, the team needed a substantial partnership to prevent the innings from unravelling.
Mostary was expected to provide stability following her remarkable performance in the previous match. Instead, she managed only nine runs before being dismissed. Her departure left Bangladesh struggling at 45 for four, with Australia firmly in control of the contest.
Sharmin Akhter and Sworna Akhter subsequently mounted a determined recovery. The pair added 54 runs for the fifth wicket, giving Bangladesh a measure of stability after the top-order collapse. Their partnership was crucial in preventing the innings from ending prematurely and offered the visitors an opportunity to rebuild.
Sharmin reached her half-century before being dismissed for exactly 50, bringing the partnership to an end. Her innings provided an important contribution at a time when Bangladesh desperately needed runs, but her departure once again exposed the fragility of the lower middle order.
Sworna continued to fight at the other end, scoring a team-high 54 runs. Despite her efforts, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, preventing Bangladesh from establishing another meaningful partnership. Her innings nevertheless helped the visitors reach 172 before the side was bowled out.
Beyond the two half-centurions, Rabeya Khan and Disha Biswas were the only Bangladesh batters to reach double figures. Both scored 13 runs, with Disha remaining unbeaten. The limited contributions from the rest of the batting line-up meant that Bangladesh could not take full advantage of the recovery initiated by Sharmin and Sworna.
Australia’s Megan Schutt was the leading bowler, taking four wickets for just 16 runs. Her economical spell played a decisive role in restricting Bangladesh’s scoring and ensured that the visitors were unable to build momentum during the middle and latter stages of the innings.
For Bangladesh, the contrast between Mostary’s two performances was particularly striking. Her 118 in the second ODI had demonstrated her ability to challenge Australia’s bowling attack, but her early dismissal in the final match deprived the team of a key source of runs. The early losses also meant that Sharmin and Sworna had little room for error as they attempted to repair the damage.
The innings highlighted Bangladesh’s difficulty in maintaining consistency throughout the batting order. Although the two half-centuries offered encouragement, the failure to establish partnerships at the top of the order left the team with too much ground to recover.
With 173 runs required for victory, Bangladesh’s bowlers faced a demanding assignment against Australia’s batting line-up. Early breakthroughs and sustained pressure would be essential if the visitors were to defend their total and keep their hopes of avoiding a clean sweep alive. After a disappointing batting display, the responsibility rested on the bowlers to give Bangladesh a chance of finishing the series with a victory.