Bangladesh’s captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, hailed his country’s “biggest win so far in any format” after they handed Australia one of their most humiliating and crushing Test defeats, despite a career-saving century by Cameron Green.
The visitors bowled Australia out for 284 in their second innings in Darwin and polished off the 57 runs required for victory for the loss of one wicket to secure their first Test win on Australian soil.
Australia have suffered shock home defeats in the past, the most recent an eight-run loss to West Indies at the Gabba in 2024 when Shamar Joseph ripped through them. The difference here was that Bangladesh dominated each day from the outset to record their greatest Test victory by a thumping nine wickets, just days after being bowled out for 54 in a warm-up match by a Cricket Australia XI.
“Going forward we want to do something special in the future,” Shanto said. “In Bangladesh we all know the fans are really crazy about cricket. We’ve given something to them, at least some sort of happiness in their faces – that’s the beauty of this game.”
The all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz (five for 66) bewitched the Australian batters on the fourth day with his off spin, claiming the wickets of Alex Carey (30), Beau Webster (five) and Pat Cummins (nine) before lunch.
Green (104) notched his third Test century in a defiant innings of class and composure as Australia were bowled out after lunch when Miraz trapped Nathan Lyon in front.
From the moment Australia batted first in this Test the Bangladesh bowlers found the right lines and lengths to skittle the hosts for 198, with paceman Hasan Mahmud (six for 55) announcing himself as a rising star.
With the bat, the tourists mixed controlled aggression with patience to compile 426. Tanzid Hasan made a magnificent 101 in his second Test, while Australia dropped five catches.
Poor batting on day one and uncharacteristic fielding blunders handed Bangladesh the advantage. The twin failures of opener Jake Weatherald and the No 3 Marnus Labuschagne will have their positions under the microscope for the second Test that starts in Mackay on Saturday.
Soft dismissals in the second innings ruined any chance of an unlikely comeback. Australia resumed their second innings at 161 for 4 on Sunday, but soon found themselves in strife.
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Green, playing for his spot in the team, flicked Taskin Ahmed for two to bring up his ton, after he was dropped on 95 by the same bowler from a tough caught and bowled opportunity.
It was his first century on home soil and his first since making an unbeaten 174 against New Zealand in Wellington in 2024. He drove beautifully and played the ball late, while making use of the crease well against the spinners, before chopping on to Mahmud (three for 66).
The teams now head to Mackay for the second Test that starts on Saturday, and Shanto urged his team to keep their discipline and build on their win. “Going to the next Test match we need to follow the process, accept the challenge and enjoy those challenges,” he said. “And they have a quality bowling attack, so we have to again play good cricket. As a bowling unit we have to be disciplined again.”
The Australia captain, Pat Cummins, admitted his side’s top order batting was misfiring. “I think it is pretty clear that it is not quite functioning as we would like as a group so all the batters will get together and maybe review some footage and review methods and approaches,” he said. “If we need to make changes to our style, we better do it pretty quickly. Over the next couple of days we will have a think and the selectors will have a think.”