NOTTINGHAM: David Warner’s century paved the way for Australia to beat Bangladesh by 48 runs at Trent Bridge on Thursday as the reigning champions went top of the World Cup table.
Warner made Bangladesh pay for dropping him on 10 with an innings of 166 — the left-handed opener’s second century of the World Cup — in a total of 381-5.
Bangladesh, needing to surpass Ireland’s World Cup record chase of 329-7 against England in 2011, struggled to keep up with the required run-rate.
Mushfiqur Rahim hit a fine 102 not out but the wicket-keeper’s entertaining fifth-wicket stand of 127 with Mahmudullah (69) came too late to alter the course of the match as Bangladesh finished on 333-8 after their 50 overs.
Defeat left them in fifth place, with only the top four from the 10-team round-robin group stage qualifying for the semifinals.
“It’s a great achievement but for us it’s about getting these two points and moving on to Lord’s,” said man-of-the-match Warner.
“You’ve got to adapt and it’s about momentum, so far things are working well,” he added. “It was a tad slow, the wicket, but it was a grind for the bowlers, it was very difficult for the bowlers.”
The 32-year-old Warner, the highest run-scorer of the tournament, with 447 runs, is back to his devastating best for Australia after completing a 12-month ban for his role in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
He received solid support from Australia captain Aaron Finch (53) and Usman Khawaja (89).
Soumya Sarkar took 3-58 from eight overs but, by the time the sixth bowler came on, Australia had already benefited from plenty of wayward deliveries from an attack missing paceman Mohammad Saifuddin, who was ruled out with a back spasm.
Finch, fresh from his 153 in a win over Sri Lanka, set the tone by launching Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza — the sole survivor on either side from the Tigers’ shock 2005 ODI victory over Australia in Cardiff — for six over cover.
But the opener was out soon after completing his eighth fifty in 11 ODI innings when he guided a rising Soumya delivery to Rubel Hossain at short third man.
An increasingly fluent Warner eventually fell to the same combination after facing 147 balls, hitting 14 fours and five sixes.
Khawaja fell in sight of a hundred when he bottom-eged a pull off Soumya and Mushfiqur dived forward to hold a good catch.
Trent Bridge has twice seen England set a record innings score in a one-day international, including the current mark of 481-6 against Australia last year.
Bangladesh did not help their own cause when a chaotic mix-up between Tamim Iqbal and Soumya saw the latter run out by Finch’s direct hit from mid-on.
Shakib Al Hasan, fresh from his match-winning century against the West Indies, then fell for 41 when he chipped a Marcus Stoinis slower ball to Warner at mid-off.
Tamim played on to Mitchell Starc for 62 and the left-arm fast bowler’s first ball to Liton Das saw the new batsman struck on the helmet by a bouncer but he batted on after receiving on-field treatment.
Das was eventually lbw to leg-spinner Adam Zampa but the experienced Mushfiqur continued to give the massed ranks of Bangladesh fans in the crowd plenty to cheer.
There were more roars of approval when Mahmudullah launched Zampa for a 95-meter straight six before he holed out.
And the crowd rose to their feet when Mushfiqur completed his seventh ODI century, off 95 balls including nine fours and a six.
Warner ton against Bangladesh sends Australia top of World Cup table
Warner ton against Bangladesh sends Australia top of World Cup table
- Warner, the highest run-scorer of the tournament, with 447 runs, is back to his best for Australia after completing a 12-month ban for his role in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa
- Mushfiqur Rahim hit a fine 102 not out but the wicket-keeper’s entertaining fifth-wicket stand of 127 with Mahmudullah (69) came too late to alter the course of the match
Forever Young features among strong field for Saudi Cup 2026
- Title-holder on course to clash with top-level winners from US and Japan in world’s most valuable race
RIYADH: Defending champion Forever Young heads a stellar list of names put forward for this year’s Group 1 $20 million Saudi Cup, which will take place at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.
The two-day meeting, which begins on Feb. 13, has attracted 57 individual thoroughbred Group or Grade 1 winners in its entirety and 14 Purebred Arabian Group 1 winners. The nominations, spread among 22 different countries, will be competing for total prize-money of almost $40 million.
Prince Bandar bin Khaled Al-Faisal, chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, said: “This is only the seventh time we have staged the Saudi Cup meeting and it has already delivered countless memorable races and performances.
“With the nominations we have received for this year, we can be sure that the spectacular racing will continue. It is wonderful to see such a collection of both familiar and new names from all around the world due to be involved at King Abdulaziz Racecourse next month.”
Officially rated the joint-top dirt horse in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, Forever Young (JPN) has been successful on both his two previous visits to Saudi Arabia, winning the 2024 Saudi Derby before his gallant performance in the world’s most valuable race last year.
Yoshito Yahagi’s superstar, last seen winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic, could face a major challenge over the 1,800m from the US.
Former Classic champion White Abarrio (US) and Preakness Stakes victor Journalism (US) have been entered along with rising stars Nysos (US), the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile hero, and Magnitude (US), who beat a smart field in the Grade 2 Clark Stakes last time.
Further strength in depth from Japan could be added by W Heart Bond, the mare who won the recent Champions Cup, as well as Diktaean and Mikki Fight. They were first and second in the Tokyo Daishoten, the race used previously as a launchpad by Forever Young.
Sayyah (US), impressive in the recent Crown Prince Cup, and Star of Wonder (US), who claimed the King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Cup in late December, are among a number of promising Saudi Arabian-trained horses looking to secure a spot in the signature race.
This year’s Neom Turf Cup, sponsored by Howden, has been upgraded to Group 1 status, making it the first top-level turf race staged in the jurisdiction, and the purse has been increased to $3 million.
Charlie Appleby and Godolphin’s Rebel's Romance (IRE), the winner of nine top-level races around the world and a former Breeders’ Cup title-holder, is set to extend that extraordinary record in the 2,100m showdown. The likes of Bahrain International Trophy scorer Royal Champion (IRE) and Aidan O’Brien’s multiple Group 1-placed The Lion In Winter (IRE) could be up against him.
The Group 2 $2.5 million Red Sea Turf Handicap, sponsored by Longines, draws the cream of international stayers. Both Japan’s Durezza (JPN) and Joseph O’Brien’s Irish star Al-Riffa (FR) have been given entries for this race and the Neom Turf, while last year’s fourth Presage Nocturne (IRE) has improved again for Alessandro Botti.
This year’s Group 2 $2 million 1351 Turf Sprint, sponsored by SHG, could be an absolute cracker with entries headed by Jose d’Angelo’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint sensation Shisospicy (US) and Europe’s leading sprinter and Royal Ascot winner Lazzat (FR).
Similarly, the Group 2 $2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint has drawn the cream of the international speedsters, including Book’em Danno and Shisospicy’s Breeders’ Cup-winning stablemate Bentornato, from the US, and two incredible talents from the UAE in Bhupat Seemar’s prolific Tuz (US) and last year’s Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Dark Saffron (US) for Ahmad bin Harmash.
Khamal (CHI), stylish winner of the Group 1 Premio Derby Nacional in Peru in late November, is among the jet-setting entries in the Group 3 $1.5 million Saudi Derby, sponsored by Zood Realty.
The card on Friday, Feb. 13 includes the International Jockey Challenge while the $500,000 Saudi International Handicap, sponsored by Lucid, has attracted potential runners trained as far afield as Bahrain, Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway, Oman, Qatar and Spain.
There are two Group 1 races for Purebred Arabians across the weekend. The main turf event, the $1.5 million Al-Mneefah Cup, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, was taken in brave fashion in 2025 by RB Kingmaker (US) and Helal Alalawi’s grey is set for a return visit.
The $2 million Obaiyah Arabian Classic, the principal event on dirt, was won spectacularly last year by the decorated Tilal Al-Khalediah (KS), who could feature again in a strong field from around the Gulf region.
Alalawi has entered not only RB Kingmaker but HM Alchahine (FR), who was a commanding winner over his third-placed stablemate in the Group 1 HH The President Cup in Abu Dhabi last time.
“We are delighted and honored that so many people have chosen to aim their horses for the 2026 Saudi Cup races and, on behalf of everyone at the JCSA, I would like to extend our gratitude to those owners and trainers,” Prince Bandar said.
“Year-on-year, thanks to the vision of our leadership, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz and his royal highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the crown prince and prime minister — may God protect them — the Saudi Cup has evolved into The Kingdom’s key sporting and social event.
“It has been especially pleasing to see the races recognised by the international authorities, too. The Saudi Cup has held Group 1 status since 2022 but we will now be staging our first ever Group 1 race on grass, the Neom Turf Cup, after its consistent level of performance.
“The Saudi Cup meeting is not only about world-class racing; it is a celebration of the horse as well as the culture and the hospitality of the Kingdom. The list of nominations only increases the excitement and we look forward to welcoming connections and racing fans alike next month for an event that has quickly made a huge impact on the global calendar.”
