Why is Josh Hazlewood not playing today’s 5th T20I between Bangladesh and Australia in Dhaka?

Dixit Bhargav | 09/08/2021
Why is Josh Hazlewood not playing today’s 5th T20I between Bangladesh and Australia in Dhaka?

Josh Hazlewood not playing: The visitors have made a couple of changes to their Playing XI for the last match of the tour.

During the fifth T20I of the ongoing Australia’s tour of Bangladesh in Mirpur, Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah has won the toss and chose to bat for the third time in a row.

Having already gained an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series, Bangladesh would want to set a daunting target in front of the visiting batsmen who have mostly struggled for runs on this tour.

It was at the toss that Mahmudullah revealed that they have made a couple of changes to their Playing XI as Mosaddek Hossain and Mohammad Saifuddin have been included for the likes of Shamim Hossain and Shoriful Islam.

Why is Josh Hazlewood not playing 5th T20I vs Bangladesh?

Australia, on the other hand, won a match on Saturday after losing three in a row. Having said that, the visitors’ solitary so far wouldn’t have instilled them with the confidence which they would’ve wanted ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

In such a scenario, a thumping victory is the need of the hours for Matthew Wade and his men at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

In their attempt of providing equal opportunities to everyone, Australia have also made a couple of changes to their Playing XI. Spinner Adam Zampa and fast bowler Nathan Ellis have replaced the pace-bowling duo of Andrew Tye and Josh Hazlewood.

It is worth mentioning that both Tye and Hazlewood have been rested for this match in a bid to include Ellis and a three-man spin attack, something that they are trying for the first time on this tour. In addition to Zampa, Australia also have Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson to spin a web around the Bangladeshi batsmen.

Having picked eight wickets in four matches at an average of 10.62, an economy rate of 5.42 and a strike rate of 11.7, Hazlewood is currently the leading wicket-taker in the series. Tye, on the other hand, has dismissed five batsmen in three outing at an average of 13.40, an economy rate of 6.70 and a strike rate of 12.

Post Edited By: Dixit Bhargav
Adam Zampa andrew tye Australia Australia tour of Bangladesh 2021 Bangladesh Josh Hazlewood Nathan Ellis

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

Don’t miss these