New Delhi: Australia take on Bangladesh in Match 22 of the ICC World Twenty20 on Monday at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Both teams come into this match on the back of defeats. The Aussies were beaten by New Zealand in a nail-biting finish, while Pakistan edge out Bangladesh.
With Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny missing for the Tigers, Steve Smith's men are overwhelming favorites to clinch this tie.
More importantly, the 50-over World Cup winners need to put in a strong performance in order to send a message to rest of the teams at the tournament.
Mushfiqur Rahim: The wicketkeeper-batsman's last made impact with his batting in the 2014 edition of the tournament. At the time, Rahim scored 47 against the same opponents he will face on Monday - the Aussies. Against Pakistan in his last outing, the 28-year-old scored just 18. Bangladesh need him to fire against Smith's side in order to have any chance of upsetting the apple cart.
Steve Smith: The Aussie skipper hasn't really set the T20 format on fire this year. His best score in last 6 completed matches is 44 against South Africa. He was dismissed for a paltry score of 6 against New Zealand in the last match. Against Bangladesh, the Australian camp will look to for a solid performance from their leader in order to get their campaign back on track in the tournament.
