Bangladesh pulled off a remarkable nine‑wicket win against Australia in the opening Test on Sunday, marking their first victory on Australian soil and only their second Test triumph over the world’s top‑ranked side. The result will go down as one of the most humbling home defeats in Australia’s 149‑year Test history, intensifying the pressure on selectors to reshuffle the squad before the second Test in Mackay, which kicks off on Saturday. The game was tilted in Bangladesh’s favour from the very start, when captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat.
After a solid half‑century in the first innings, Bangladesh’s off‑spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz produced a game‑changing spell in the second innings, snaring five wickets and limiting the hosts to a slim 56‑run lead. Australia were eventually dismissed for 284 midway through the afternoon session at Darwin’s Marrara Oval. Even Cameron Green’s third Test hundred – his first on home turf – could not rescue the Australians.
His composed 104 off 201 deliveries anchored the innings, but it left the visitors with a modest target to chase. Early nerves surfaced when fast bowler Josh Hazlewood (1‑5) removed first‑innings centurion Tanzid Hasan for a golden duck.
Nevertheless, Shadman Islam, who finished unbeaten on 25, and Mominul Haque, not out on 30, steadied the chase and guided Bangladesh to the finish line in just 14.2 overs. Their calmness sparked jubilant celebrations among the fans seated behind the team’s dugout on the boundary. "This is the biggest win so far for Bangladesh in any format," captain Najmul Hossain Shanto declared. "We will do something special in the future." The triumph was also celebrated back home.
Shanto received a congratulatory video call from Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the dressing room. "These are special moments for us, as I believe everyone back home is enjoying our success," Shanto told ESPNcricinfo.
"We get these moments very few times in our life, so we should spend the whole day in celebrating this win." Australia’s innings began with a modest 198, with Steve Smith top‑scoring with 71. The pitch then flattened, allowing the tourists to post a formidable 426, establishing a 228‑run advantage. That lead ultimately proved too large for the hosts to overturn, as Bangladesh secured a historic second Test victory over Australia, following their maiden win in Dhaka in 2017.
Cummins reflected on the loss, saying, "I think every time there's a game like this, you always look at your match‑ups and your make‑up with the team for the next one. We're pretty good at bouncing back, so no doubt the batters and every group will get together and have a good think about this one and where we can improve." The two‑Test series kicks off a demanding 12‑month schedule for both nations, with 20 Tests slated, including tours of South Africa, India and England. Sky Sports Cricket analyst Nasser Hussain praised Bangladesh’s performance, noting, "Incredible scenes. I've never known a Bangladesh‑Australia Test match have so many eyes on it from an England point of view, good and bad.
England aren't even playing at the moment, and it's all about what could have been last winter. But we have to say, brilliant from Bangladesh. They had no Nahid Rana, their superstar quick, who was injured before the series, and in their warm‑up game they were bowled out for 54.
A few journalists were writing them off completely. But they played proper Test match cricket.
And I think that's what infuriates a few England fans, really. The way they went about dismantling that Australian side – and Australia picked their best side. That was their best 11." Bangladesh’s victory underscores the growing competitiveness of associate nations in the longest format of the game.
Their bowlers combined disciplined line and length with subtle variations, exploiting the conditions in Darwin to frustrate the Australian batsmen. Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s five‑wicket haul was particularly pivotal, as he consistently hit the right areas, forcing mistakes from seasoned players. Meanwhile, the batting partnership between Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque demonstrated composure under pressure, rotating the strike efficiently and ensuring the required run rate was met without unnecessary risk. For Australia, the loss serves as a stark reminder that even a top‑ranked side cannot take any opponent lightly, especially when playing away from home.
The selectors will likely revisit their bowling combinations and batting order ahead of the Mackay Test, seeking to address the vulnerabilities exposed by Bangladesh’s disciplined approach. Overall, this match will be remembered as a watershed moment for Bangladeshi cricket, showcasing their ability to compete and win against the very best on foreign soil.
It also adds a compelling chapter to the narrative of cricket’s evolving power dynamics, where emerging teams are increasingly capable of challenging traditional powerhouses in high‑stakes environments.