Bangladesh etched their name permanently into the history books by claiming a stunning 9 wicket victory over Australia in the opening Test at the Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin. Marking their first ever Test win on Australian soil 23 years after their first meeting against the Kangaroos at the exact same venue in 2003, the visiting side delivered a masterclass in discipline and execution.
First Innings Dominance and Hasan Mahmud’s Masterclass Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision that backfired drastically against a relentless Bangladeshi bowling attack. Young fast bowler Hasan Mahmud produced a sensational spell, recording career best figures of 6/55 to skittle the hosts out for just 198 runs. Steve Smith offered lone resistance with a battling knock of 71 runs off 109 balls, but the rest of the lineup crumbled.
However, Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque remained entirely clinical, navigating the elite Australian pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins with utmost conviction. Mominul finished off the match in style with a boundary off Beau Webster, sealing the historic victory as celebrations erupted in the dugout. Cameron Green’s Fightback and the Final Chase Facing a daunting deficit, Australia mounted a better effort in their second innings, though Cameron Green stood almost entirely alone by scoring 104 runs from 201 deliveries to push the team total to 284. Mehidy Hasan Miraz tore through the middle and lower order with a stellar spell of 5/66, while Hasan Mahmud added 3 more scalps to finish with 9 wickets in the match. Set a modest target of just 57 runs to win on Day 4, Bangladesh encountered a minor early hiccup when Tanzid departed for a golden duck in the second over. Rivalry Context and Historical Significance This momentous result gives Bangladesh a 1-0 lead in the current series, putting them in prime position to chase their first ever Test series victory against Australia. Across seven total meetings in the format, Australia has claimed five wins, while Bangladesh now holds one victory alongside a famous previous home win achieved in Mirpur under Shakib Al Hasan, who recorded 89 runs and 10 wickets. The only previous series between the two nations that did not end in a clean sweep occurred in 2017, when Bangladesh split a two match series 1-1.
