23 Years Later, Bangladesh Deliver Historic Shock to Australia
News Desk
Darwin: Bangladesh have pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent Test cricket, defeating Australia by nine wickets in the series opener in Darwin on Sunday.
Chasing just 57 runs for victory, Bangladesh reached the target with minimal trouble, with Mominul Haque hitting Beau Webster to the boundary to complete a remarkable win.
The result marked Bangladesh’s first Test victory over Australia on Australian soil and one of the most significant achievements in the country’s Test history.
The victory came after four days of intense cricket in difficult heat at Marrara Oval, where Bangladesh consistently outplayed Australia with the bat, ball and in the field.
Miraz leads Bangladesh’s final push
The decisive moment came during Australia’s second innings, when Bangladesh’s spin-bowling all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz took control of the match.
Australia resumed the fourth day at 161 for four, still 67 runs behind Bangladesh. Despite a determined fightback from Cameron Green, the hosts were eventually dismissed for 284.
Miraz claimed four wickets during the final day, adding to his contribution with the bat and ball throughout the match.
He had already scored 65 in Bangladesh’s first innings and removed Steve Smith for 44 on the third day. On Sunday, he dismissed wicketkeeper Alex Carey for 30 before producing a superb delivery to bowl Beau Webster for five.
Australia captain Pat Cummins then fell for eight after Miraz induced a bat-pad catch, leaving the home side in serious trouble.
“It was excellent, a great moment for us,” Miraz said after the victory. “The way we are playing shows our character. Everything was perfect.”
Green’s century delays Bangladesh’s celebration
Australia’s hopes were kept alive by Cameron Green, who produced a fighting century when his team needed it most.
Green reached 104, his third Test hundred and first on home soil, after building important partnerships with the lower order.
He and Mitchell Starc added 43 runs for the eighth wicket, with Starc contributing 18 before Taskin Ahmed had him caught behind.
Green eventually completed his century after lunch but was bowled shortly afterwards by Hasan Mahmud, ending Australia’s last realistic chance of saving the match.
Green’s dismissal was particularly significant because his position in the Australian team had recently attracted criticism. His determined innings provided a strong response, even though it ultimately could not prevent defeat.
Miraz then finished the innings by trapping Nathan Lyon lbw for 15.
Bangladesh’s bowlers set up the historic chase
The victory was built long before the final 57 runs.
Bangladesh had already taken control of the match by scoring 426 in their first innings after Australia were dismissed for just 198.
Opener Tanzid Hasan played a major role in establishing that advantage, scoring a brilliant 101.
Although Tanzid was dismissed for a duck while Bangladesh chased the target, his earlier century had already played a crucial part in putting Australia under pressure.
Hasan Mahmud was another key contributor, finishing with nine wickets across the match.
A landmark result after 23 years
The significance of Bangladesh’s victory goes beyond the scorecard.
Australia, ranked number one in Test cricket, had not hosted Bangladesh for another Test since their previous meeting in 2003. The two sides had not played a Test series in Australia for 23 years.
Bangladesh arrived with the opportunity to prove they could compete against one of the strongest teams in world cricket. Instead, they went a step further by dominating Australia for much of the match.
For a team that has spent 26 years playing Test cricket, defeating Australia in their own conditions is likely to be remembered as one of Bangladesh’s greatest achievements in the longest format.
The scenes after the winning boundary reflected the scale of the moment, as Bangladesh’s players celebrated wildly while supporters in the stands erupted in joy.
With the series now underway, Bangladesh have not only taken a 1-0 lead but also delivered a warning that they are capable of challenging the strongest teams on the biggest stage.
