5 instances when Bangladesh shocked big teams

Bangladesh have been playing cricket for the last 35 years but the team is still considered minnows. But in the recent years, they have tasted massive success by defeating big teams in crucial events. In the last 15 years, the Asian Tigers have proven their skills by upsetting huge teams at the main stages.

Their ODI series victories against India, Pakistan, and South Africa in 2015 at home soil is one of their biggest achievements. The success against these teams not only show their potential in the game but also guarantee that the team is one of the biggest threats for all the quality teams in any major event.

Below are top 5 instances when Bangladesh surprised major teams

1. Bangladesh Vs Australia at Cardiff, 2005

All the cricket fans witnessed one of the biggest shockers in 2005, when Bangladesh defeated the world champions and formidable Australia in the 2nd game of the NatWest Series, played at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. Before the match, Australia were expected to cut Bangladesh down to size, but the Bangla Tigers were ready to shock the world by derailing the Aussie plans. 

Bangladesh blew away the Australia top-order by dismissing renowned names such as Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden early, but the half-centuries from Damien Martyn and Michael Clarke brought the kangaroos back to the track as they scored 249/5 in 50 overs.

Chasing 250, Bangladeshi batters had to face an experienced Aussie bowling line-up, which included bowlers such as Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, and Brad Hogg. The big names were enough to foil their plans, but it was Mohammad Ashraful’s courage that helped Bangladesh to register their first win against Australia.

Ashraful came out to bat when the team’s top order was on the verge of collapse. At the score of 72, Bangladesh had lost three crucial wickets of Javed Omar, Nafees Iqbal, and Tushar Imran but the steady partnership between Ashraful and the skipper Habibul Bashar brought Bangladesh back into the game. The young gun went on to score a century that took Bangladesh home and create history.