Bangladesh pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in Test cricket history on the fourth day of the opening Test in Darwin, defeating Australia by nine wickets to claim their first ever Test win on Australian soil.
Mominul Haque struck the winning runs, cutting Beau Webster to the boundary, as the tourists chased down a target of 57 with ease. The victory sparked jubilant scenes among players and staff, and ranks as arguably the greatest achievement in Bangladesh’s 26 years as a Test nation.
Australia went into the match as the top ranked Test team, while Bangladesh had not played a Test series in Australia since losing 2-0 in 2003. The visitors were on top throughout, but it was spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz who took centre stage on the fourth day with 5 for 66 to dismiss Australia for 284.
Earlier, Bangladesh had built a commanding position by bowling Australia out for 198, with Steve Smith making 71 and Hasan Mahmud taking 6 for 55. Bangladesh then replied with 426, powered by Tanzid Hasan Tamim’s 101, Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 84 and Miraz’s 65. Josh Hazlewood took 6 for 89.
Miraz, who had also dismissed Smith in Australia’s second innings, continued his fine run on day four. He had Alex Carey caught behind for 30, bowled Beau Webster for five, and then saw off Pat Cummins, caught close in for eight. Mitchell Starc made 18 before falling to Taskin Ahmed, caught behind.
Cameron Green provided the main resistance, scoring a defiant 104 for his third Test hundred on home soil. His stand with Starc added 43 for the eighth wicket, and his dismissal by Hasan Mahmud effectively ended Australia’s hopes. Miraz then removed Nathan Lyon to leave Bangladesh needing just 57. Mahmud, who took 6 for 55 in the first innings and 3 for 56 in the second, was named player of the match.
The chase lost Tanzid Hasan Tamim for a duck to Josh Hazlewood in the second over, but Mominul Haque’s unbeaten 30 and Shadman Islam’s 25 guided Bangladesh home.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto described the result as the biggest win in Bangladesh’s history in any format. “This is the biggest win so far for Bangladesh in any format,” he said. “Going forward we want to do something special in the future. I’m very happy, proud of myself and the way the boys played. We did a lot of hard work.”
ABC commentator Jim Maxwell called it one of the most “embarrassing defeats that Australia have ever suffered in Test cricket”.
Bangladesh’s achievement was made all the more remarkable by their recent struggles. Ranked ninth among Test nations, they were bowled out for 54 by a Cricket Australia XI in a warmup match in Darwin days earlier, and in June they were heavily beaten by Zimbabwe, the lowest ranked Test team. They also were missing two leading fast bowlers, Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam, through injury.
Shanto credited a shift in mindset among his pace bowlers. “Five years ago, pacers didn’t want to play Tests,” he said. “But we’ve been playing lots of Test cricket and they are giving importance to Test format. They want to play, want to perform, want to be world class. That is the mindset they now have. Seniors like Mushfiqur [Rahim] and Mominul [Haque] have encouraged them to play more Test cricket.”
Australia captain Pat Cummins acknowledged Bangladesh’s superiority. “They outplayed us in all facets, they were patient and disciplined,” he said. “I thought our prep was spot-on, no excuses.”
The only previous Australian Test defeat to Bangladesh came in Mirpur in 2017. Bangladesh’s prime minister Tarique Rahman congratulated the team on a video call, saying on social media: “We’re all eagerly waiting to welcome you home.”
The second and final Test begins on 22 August at 01:00 BST, with live ball by ball commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds. Bangladesh will carry the confidence of this historic triumph into the match.
