Shoriful’s six-fer not enough as Connolly fires Australia

A breathtaking 149 off 134 balls from Cooper Connolly broke Bangladeshi hearts as Australia snatched a dramatic one-wicket victory in the third and final One Day International at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday — but the hosts celebrated a historic series win, their first ever against the Aussies in 50-over cricket, claiming the three-match competition 2-1.
It was a match that had everything — a career-best six-wicket haul from Shoriful Islam, a stunning dropped catch, a last-over finish and a century from Australia's opener — before Adam Zampa sealed the win with a cover-driven boundary in the third ball of the final over, with last-pair partner Riley Meredith at the other end. Shoriful, who came into the side in place of the rested Nahid Rana, was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers with a stunning 6-48 — his first five-wicket haul in international cricket — but ultimately ended on the losing side in a cruel twist of fate for the 25-year-old left-arm pacer.
Australia had started the chase aggressively, hammering 40 runs off the opening overs against Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman.
Shoriful then turned the match on its head, removing Josh Inglis and Matthew Renshaw in the fifth over to leave Australia reeling.
Inglis blazed 21 off just 12 balls before flicking an inswinger to Mosaddek Hossain at short mid-wicket, while Renshaw, cleaned up by a sharp straight delivery, departed without troubling the scorers.
Taskin soon added to Australia's misery, sending back Alex Carey for eight with Soumya Sarkar pouching a stunning catch at short cover, leaving the visitors in deep trouble at 70-3.
But Connolly stood firm. The young opener batted with remarkable composure and authority, stitching together crucial partnerships at every stage of the chase. He added 64 with Marnus Labuschagne (29), 68 with Cameron Green (27 off 35) — who was removed by Mahedi Hasan — and a further 64 with Oliver Peake (27 off 32) to keep Australia firmly in the hunt.
Shoriful roared back with two wickets in successive deliveries to remove Peake and Bartlett, setting up a sensational hat-trick opportunity.
Ben Dwarshuis denied him the historic moment before being caught by a diving Mahedi at point for four, leaving Australia needing five runs from 15 balls with two wickets remaining.
Bangladesh's hopes were dented when Tanzid Hasan Tamim dropped a straightforward catch at gully off Zampa — a moment that left the Mirpur crowd stunned and the Bangladesh dugout visibly deflated.
Mustafizur eventually ended Connolly's magnificent innings for 149 — his first ODI century, adorned with 13 fours and six sixes — but with Australia still four runs short, last men Zampa and Meredith held their nerve to complete a stunning heist; Zampa finishing the job in style with a crisp cover drive for four.
Bangladesh's innings had also been a tale of recovery.
They lost Soumya Sarkar to Xavier Bartlett for two in the very first over before Tanzid Hasan Tamim and stand-in skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto repaired the damage with a 51-run stand. 
But Renshaw ripped through the top order, dismissing both Tanzid (19) and Shanto (24) to leave Bangladesh in trouble at 61-3.
Towhid Hridoy then played a gem of an innings, crafting a patient yet dominant 83 off 88 balls laced with eight fours — his 13th ODI fifty — to anchor the middle overs.
He forged a 92-run partnership with Litton Kumar Das before the wicket-keeper retired hurt with a muscle injury on 48 off 73.
Litton returned later to bring up his first ODI fifty at Mirpur, finishing with 58 off 78 balls, striking four fours and two sixes.
Mosaddek then turned on the afterburners, smashing an unbeaten 56 off 51 balls — his fifth ODI half-century — to propel Bangladesh to a competitive 274-5.
Bartlett and Renshaw took two wickets each for Australia, while Dwarshuis claimed one.
The defeat mattered little in the grand scheme, however, as Bangladesh savoured a landmark moment in their cricketing history — a maiden ODI series victory over Australia.