Australia vs. Bangladesh: Winners and Losers from Cricket World Cup Washout

Australia and Bangladesh were forced to accept one point apiece on Saturday, with their World Cup clash in Brisbane abandoned without a ball being bowled due to heavy rain in Queensland's capital. 

The inclement weather followed the arrival of Cyclone Marcia on Friday, leaving the Gabba soaked and the players stuck in the dressing rooms. 

But although no action was seen between the teams on Saturday, it's a result that has a lot of implications in Pool A. 

Across the following slides, we examine the winners and losers from the washout. 

Winners: Bangladesh

Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Though the team's fans will have left the Gabba disappointed at not seeing their side play, Bangladesh will undoubtedly be the happier of the two nations after Saturday's washout. 

Against a powerful Australian outfit in blistering form, the visitors were widely expected to be swept aside by the hosts at the Gabba.

But with play abandoned, Bangladesh picked up a point that could prove extremely important in Pool A, with the Tigers, England, Sri Lanka, Scotland and Afghanistan already in a tight battle to secure qualification in a group that's wide open after England's massive loss to New Zealand. 

Losers: Australia

Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Earning one point from Saturday's fixture certainly isn't a disaster for Australia, but it's hardly ideal for the host nation. 

After looking likely to start the tournament with two straight wins, Darren Lehmann's side is now three points behind the impressive New Zealand in the race for top spot in Pool A, making next Saturday's clash between the teams at Eden Park potentially decisive. 

Of course, finishing second—which, after the abandoned meeting with Bangladesh, is very possible—wouldn't be a significant concern for Australia. But higher is better at this World Cup, with the quarter-finals seeing the highest ranked qualifier from Pool A face the lowest ranked qualifier from Pool B. 

It means Australia's quarter-final, should the team finish second in Pool A, could be a trickier contest with India, South Africa or the West Indies, rather than a more straightforward one against Ireland, Zimbabwe or an out-of-sorts Pakistan. 

Winners: New Zealand

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

New Zealand will have taken delight in Saturday's washout, with the result slightly hindering Australia's chances of chasing down the red-hot Kiwis in Pool A. 

As mentioned on the previous slide, securing top spot is extremely important, given that the top-ranked team is likely to be rewarded with a far more favourable quarter-final matchup. 

As such, next weekend's clash between New Zealand and Australia in Auckland is hugely important for both sides. 

If the Kiwis were to win, top spot in Pool A would almost certainly be theirs. 

Losers: England and Rest of Pool A

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

After suffering a humiliation at the hands of New Zealand on Friday, England desperately needed the two host nations to completely dominate Pool A to leave behind an even, five-team scrap for the final two qualification places. 

The other sides in that battle essentially needed the same. 

But Saturday's washout has given Bangladesh a point which had seemed highly unlikely, which has suddenly made the task for England considerably more difficult. 

With an appalling net run rate and no points from two games, Eoin Morgan's team are facing four matches against Bangladesh, Scotland, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka with little room for error. 

Lose just one, and the team's hopes of qualification could be extinguished. 

Loser: Michael Clarke

Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

If there was one Australian player who desperately needed to play against Bangladesh, it was Michael Clarke. 

Having overcome a serious hamstring injury, the Australian captain would have relished the opportunity to regain both some match fitness and batting form against an inferior opponent at the Gabba in Brisbane.

Instead, Clarke will now enter Australia's clash with New Zealand next weekend without any competitive cricket at the highest level (he took part in Australia's warm-up game against the United Arab Emirates and was also part of the Australian XI that played a tour match with Bangladesh prior to the World Cup) since the Adelaide Test against India at the beginning of December. 

Returning to the one-day international arena against a rampant New Zealand outfit at Eden Park isn't exactly the smooth comeback he would have hoped for. 

Loser: City of Brisbane

Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Saturday's scheduled match against Bangladesh was the only opportunity for the city of Brisbane to watch Australia play in this World Cup. 

Indeed, from this point onward, the Gabba will only host matches between Ireland and the United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan and Zimbabwe. 

There are also no finals scheduled in Brisbane.

As such, Saturday's washout was a bitter blow for both the city and the ground, given that the match was the only fixture expected to draw a major crowd at the venue during this World Cup.