Cummins takes hat-trick as Australia beat Bangladesh

Having restricted Bangladesh to 140-8, David Warner's unbeaten 53 from 35 balls took Australia to 100-2 when rain arrived to bring the match in Antigua to a premature end.

Cummins is just the second man to take a T20 World Cup hat-trick for Australia after Brett Lee, also against Bangladesh, in 2007.

The Australia Test captain removed Mahmudullah and Mahedi Hasan at the end of the 18th over and then had Towhid Hridoy caught from the first ball of the 20th.

Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored for Bangladesh with 41 before falling to Adam Zampa, who impressed again in taking 2-24, while Hridoy's 40 from 28 balls gave the Tigers' total a boost.

However, they were a long way short of a competitive total and the Australia openers quickly broke the back of the chase with a stand of 65.

Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain took two quick wickets following a brief rain delay to give Bangladesh hope but Warner had extinguished that by the time a further downpour arrived to end the game.

From the moment Mitchell Starc bowled Tanzid Hasan with the third ball of the match, Australia were in control in North Sound.

The wicket takes Starc past Lasith Malinga for the most wickets (95) across men's T20 and 50-over World Cups.

A fragile Bangladesh batting line-up was no match for a high-class and vastly experienced Australia attack.

Shanto and Litton Das put on 58 for the second wicket but even then there was always an assuredness about Mitchell Marsh's side.

Their confidence was well placed as Zampa came on to break the partnership and they continued to chip away for the remainder of the Bangladesh innings.

Cummins made absolutely sure there would be no big finish for the Tigers as Mahmudullah dragged a short ball onto his stumps before Mahedi Hasan guided the next ball to deep third.

Hridoy then scooped the first ball of Cummins' next over to Josh Hazlewood at short fine leg as the seventh hat-trick at men's T20 World Cup was completed.

Warner and Travis Head got Australia off to a flyer in the chase before Rishad's double strike after the rain break briefly slowed their progress.

But Warner, who was dropped on five, soon had the 2021 champions back on track as he brought up his half-century with a six before the rain returned.

Australia join India on two points at the top of Group 1 and will face Afghanistan in their next match on Sunday (01:30 BST).

Bangladesh are back in action against India on Saturday (15:30 BST).

'Awesome to join the club' - reaction

Australia bowler Pat Cummins: "At the end of the over, I saw it come up on the screen and I totally forgot about [the hat-trick].

"I've taken a few in junior cricket but never for Australia. It's pretty awesome to be able to join the club."

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh: "A really solid bowling performance, everyone chipped in.

"We've always spoken about having 15 guys who can take us deep in this World Cup and we will pick teams on conditions."

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto: "I think the wicket looked very, very good. A bit slow but I think we should have scored at least 170.

"Playing against this kind of team, we had to take risks. We couldn't execute but we tried something different today."

-bbc