Bangladesh produced one of the biggest upsets in Test cricket history on Sunday, crushing Australia by nine wickets to claim their first Test victory on Australian soil. The visitors chased 57 for victory after dismissing Australia for 284 on day four at Marrara Stadium.
Mominul Haque sealed the historic win by cutting Beau Webster to the backward-point boundary. He finished unbeaten on 30, while Shadman Islam made 25 not out. Bangladesh reached 57-1 after losing first-innings centurion Tanzid Hasan for a duck to Josh Hazlewood.
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The result completed a remarkable turnaround for Bangladesh. Before the Test, a Cricket Australia XI had inflicted a heavy warm-up defeat on them, with Bangladesh collapsing for 54 in one innings. Few expected them to challenge a full-strength Australian side in Darwin.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz Destroys Australia
Australia resumed Sunday on 161-4 with Cameron Green and Alex Carey carrying their hopes. However, Mehidy Hasan Miraz quickly shifted the match firmly towards Bangladesh.
Carey survived nervously early on and edged Hasan Mahmud through the vacant slip region twice. His luck ended on 30 when Mehidy found his outside edge and Litton Das completed the catch. Mehidy then bowled Webster for five.
Captain Pat Cummins followed after edging Mehidy to short leg, where Shadman took the chance. Australia remained under severe pressure despite Green’s resistance.
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Green and Mitchell Starc finally pushed Australia beyond Bangladesh’s first-innings total. Starc made 18 before falling, while Green continued towards his third Test hundred. He eventually reached 104 after nearly five hours at the crease.
Hasan Mahmud ended Green’s resistance when a delivery stayed low and crashed into his stumps. Mehidy then trapped Nathan Lyon lbw to complete figures of 5-66 and dismiss Australia for 284. Hasan finished with nine wickets in the match and earned Player of the Match honours.
Tanzid Century Sets Up Famous Bangladesh Win
Bangladesh had controlled the Test since bowling Australia out for just 198 on the opening day.
The visitors then piled up 426 from 138 overs in difficult Darwin heat and humidity. Opener Tanzid Hasan led the innings with his maiden Test century, scoring 101. The lengthy innings also forced Australia’s celebrated bowling attack to spend extended time in the field.
Bangladesh’s bowlers maintained that advantage through Australia’s second innings. They struck regularly whenever the hosts threatened to build a partnership.
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The nine-wicket result gave Bangladesh only their second Test victory over Australia. Their previous success came by 20 runs in Dhaka in 2017. More importantly, Sunday’s result delivered their first Test win in Australia.
Australia captain Pat Cummins admitted after the defeat that the home side’s batting was “not quite functioning as we would like”.
Bangladesh now carry a 1-0 series lead into the second Test, which begins in Mackay on August 22.
