Dominant Australia seal ODI series whitewash in Dhaka

Australia have claimed an ODI series clean sweep with their most dominant display of their tour of Bangladesh to date, cruising to an eight-wicket win in Dhaka.

Kim Garth (3-11) and Ashleigh Gardner (3-23) led the way as Australia dismantled the tourists for 89 in 26.2 overs at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Alyssa Healy (33 off 34) and Ellyse Perry (27no from 28) then led the way with the bat as the tourists reeled in their target in 18.3 overs. 

Healy got the Australian chase off to a positive start as she struck four fours and two sixes before she was trapped lbw by Rabeya Khan.

She had earlier shared a 43-run opening stand with Phoebe Litchfield, who struck 12 from 27 balls before hitting a return catch to Sultana Khatun.

After the openers departed, Beth Mooney (21no from 22) joined Perry to guide Australia to victory.

The second one-dayer was dominated by spin but this time it was the Australian pace attack making their mark, as Garth and Perry reduced Bangladesh to 5-32 inside the first 11 overs. 

Garth had returned to the XI in place of Megan Schutt, with the latter's workloads being managed, and she made the most of her recall taking 3-11. 

Perry struck the first blow when she had Sumaiya Akter, who came into the XI as opener, caught for a duck in the second over of the game.

Garth picked up the key wicket of Fargana Hoque Pinky for five, brilliantly caught by a diving Litchfield at slip, then Perry had Murshida Khatun (8) caught behind.

The spinners claimed the remaining five wickets; Gardner taking 3-25 and Sophie Molineux (2-23) as the remaining wickets fell for 57 runs.

Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty was her team's top-scoring batter with 16, while No.11 Marufa Akter swung her bat to finish on 15 not out as she shared a 26-run final-wicket stand with Sultana Khatun (10).

But the largest contribution to the Bangladesh total came via 20 extras, including 14 wides, continuing a wayward trend for the Australian bowlers who gifted 63 runs in extras, including 47 through wides, in total across the three ODIs - 22.5 per cent of Bangladesh's total runs for the series.  

The clean sweep means Australia collected all six ICC Women's Championship points on offer.

The Championship is a four-yearly round robin between the world's top 10 teams that determines qualification for the 2025 ODI World Cup in India. 

Australia now sit eight points clear on top of the table for the 2022-25 cycle of the Championship with two series left to play against India and New Zealand at the end of the year.   

The teams now turn their attention to the T20I format, with a three-game series to begin on Sunday.

Those matches will form an important part of Australia's preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup to be played in Bangladesh in September and October, where they will be vying for a fourth consecutive title.

CommBank Tour of Bangladesh

First ODI: Australia won by 118 runs

Second ODI: Australia won by six wickets

Third ODI: Australia won by eight wickets

March 31: First T20I, Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (5:00pm AEDT)

April 2: Second T20I, Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (5:00pm AEDT)

April 4: Third T20I, Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (5:00pm AEDT)

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck

Bangladesh squad: Nigar Sultana (c), Nahida Akter (vc), Fargana Hoque, Murshida Khatun, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Disha Biswas, Sumaiya Akter, Nishita Akter Nishi, Farzana Akter, Rabeya Khan