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Australia beat Bangladesh by five wickets in the ongoing ICC Women's World Cup league match at the Basin Reserve, Wellington on Friday.

Beth Mooney smashed 66 off 75 balls to rescue Aussies from the threat of defeat against Tigresses. Salma Khatun was the pick of the bowling attack as she picked up three wickets conceding 23 runs in nine overs.

Chasing 136, Australia found themselves in trouble after they were slumped to 41-4. Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner piled up a mini partnership of 29 runs to cross the 50-run mark.

Gardner departed for 13 off 16, but Mooney took the charge and hit a fifty to propel the side to victory. Mooney put on an unbeaten 66-run partnership with Annabel Sutherland for the sixth wicket.  Sutherland played a knock of 26 runs in 39 balls.

Apart from Salma, Nahida Akter and Rumana Ahmed took one wicket apiece.

Earlier, Bangladesh posted 135 for 6 in 43 overs. Lata Mondal top-scored with 33 runs aided by two boundaries in 63 deliveries.

Despite a good opening by the batters Murshida Khatun (17) and Sharmin Akhter (24), Bangladesh kept losing wickets at regular intervals and eventually could muster 135.