Hat-trick Patrick: Pat Cummins takes hat-trick as Australia down Bangladesh

North Sound, June 21

Fast bowler Pat Cummins took a hat-trick and David Warner smashed an unbeaten half-century as undefeated Australia kicked off their Super Eight campaign at the T20 World Cup with a rain-hit 28-run win over Bangladesh.

Recalled with fellow quick Josh Hazlewood after being rested against Scotland, Cummins’s three-wicket burst helped restrict the South Asians to 140/8 before rain cut short Australia’s chase. Victory was secured by the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Australia were 100/2 after 11.2 overs before the match was abandoned, with Warner unbeaten on 53 and Glenn Maxwell 14 not out.

Australia’s win put them top of Group 1, ahead of India thanks to a slightly superior net run-rate.

Test and ODI skipper Cummins bowled Mahmudullah for two, had Mahedi Hasan caught for a duck by Adam Zampa at deep third man and then dismissed Towhid Hridoy for 40 when the batter scooped to Hazlewood.

Cummins’s third victim came in the over after his first two wickets, and his hat-trick celebration was conspicuously understated. “I totally forgot about it,” Cummins said. “Ashton Agar and Nathan (Ellis) were both on the bench today. They’ve got a hat-trick so I joined their club.”

He finished with 3/29 from his four overs while spinner Zampa took 2/24 to put the brakes on Bangladesh in the middle overs.

SA edge England

Gros Islet: A fluent fifty by Quinton de Kock and a gritty effort by the bowlers powered South Africa to a seven-run win over England. Harry Brook made 53 off 37 balls but there was not much contribution from the other batters. Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj took two wickets apiece for SA. Earlier, De Kock made a forceful half-century. De Kock made 65 off 38 balls, while David Miller (43 off 28 balls) gave the South African innings the late impetus. For England, pacer Jofra Archer was the leading wicket-taker (3/40). — Agencies

Brief scores: Bangladesh: 140/8 in 20 overs (Shanto 41, Hridoy 40; Cummins 3/29, Zampa 2/24); Australia: 100/2 in 11.2 overs (Warner 53*, Head 31; Hossain 2/23); South Africa: 163/6 in 20 overs (de Kock 65, Miller 43; Archer 3/40); England: 156/6 in 20 overs (Brook 53, Livingstone 33; Maharaj 2/25, Rabada 2/32)

Pakistan players face criticism for taking families along

Lahore: Pakistan’s disastrous T20 World Cup campaign has expectedly triggered a backlash against the players, who are being criticised for taking their families along. According to a local media report, apart from the nearly 34 players, support staff and officials who were part of the national squad in the USA, the team hotel was teeming with around 26 to 28 family members of the players. These included their wives, children, parents and even siblings in some cases. The report said players like Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman and Muhammad Amir were among those who had family members travelling with them. Babar, who is not married, had his father, mother and brothers staying in the team hotel. “The extra expenses incurred on having families is obviously paid by players but having family members around does hit the focus of the players,” a report said. “Some 60 rooms were booked where the team stayed to accommodate the other people travelling with the team. The environment was a family one with takeaway dinners and outings being the norm for some players,” another report said.