NEW DELHI: Matt Renshaw he played with both bat and ball as Australia defeated Bangladesh by seven runs in the second T20I on Friday to seal the three-match series with an elusive 2-0 lead.Renshaw smashed a career unbeaten 89 to lift Australia to 196/5, their highest T20I total against Bangladesh, before bowling to help restrict the hosts to 189/6 in a thrilling contest.Bangladesh, who lost the first game by four wickets, were close in the chase but fell short in the end despite a strong start. Aaron Hardie was Australia’s most successful bowler with figures of 2/40.After opting to bat, Australia got off to a steady start through captain Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis. However, Bangladesh hit back early as left-armer Nasum Ahmed trapped Inglis lbw for 11 before pacer Nahid Rana removed Marsh for 20, leaving the visitors in trouble.Australia’s innings was revived by a match-defining 97-run partnership after just 50 balls between Renshaw and Tim David for the fourth wicket. David scored 45 off 26 deliveries, hitting two fours and four sixes before falling to the slower ball of Abdul Gaffar.Renshaw continued to dominate, hitting four fours and five sixes in his unbeaten 52-ball 89. His late acceleration kept Australia just four runs short of 200.Bangladesh responded strongly, racing to 72/1 in the powerplay — their highest six-over total against Australia in T20Is. Tanzid Hasan led the charge with a quickfire 30 off 15 balls.Australia made the breakthrough when Renshaw held on to the return ball and dismissed Tanzid. Saif Hassan then kept Bangladesh in the hunt with 42 off 33 deliveries, but Australia’s spinners tightened the screws during the middle overs.Despite a late push from the lower order, Bangladesh could not find the boundaries consistently enough in the over and finished on 189/6, seven runs short of the target.The third and final T20I will be played in Chattogram on Sunday.
