Australia vs Bangladesh Women T20 World Cup Preview & Tips - Australia tipped to maintain perfect World Cup start

Bangladesh Women put their skill with bat and ball on full show in the opening match of their T20 World Cup campaign as they restricted the Netherlands to 139/8 before storming to the win with four wickets and five deliveries to spare. 

Phoebe Litchfield's quick-fire 50 from 24 saw the Aussies build after slumping to 24/2, with a string of solid scores from their middle and lower order helping Australia onto a competitive 172/8. With the ball, the Aussies were excellent as a unit with Georgia Wareham starring with figures of 3/13. 

Tactically, Australia got it spot on in the defence of their total. Despite top scoring 44 runs, Laura Wolvaardt was starved of the strike as batting partners came and went. This piled the pressure on South Africa's best batter and eventually saw her fall before the side had reached the 100-run mark. 

Against Bangladesh, the focus for Australia will be on ensuring they do the basics well with bat and ball. They are overwhelming favourites to secure the win and I back them to cruise past their opponents. 

Against the Aussies, Bangladesh have been poor. All of their previous five meetings with their opponents in the T20 game have ended in defeats, with the margins of victory standing at 86 runs, eight wickets, 10 wickets, 58 runs and 77 runs. In truth, Bangladesh have been nowhere near good enough, but there are few that can seriously challenge the best side in the game. 

Bangladesh are incredibly unlikely to win this one. While they are growing in stature and quality, they are a long way short of the best, and I predict the margin of defeat will be a big one in this clash.