AUS vs BAN: Cricket is a feat of great achievements and in this game of uncertainty, one thing has remained certain over the years, Australia’s dominance. With six World Cup trophies, one T20 World Cup, and one World Test Championship title, this team has dominated every format of the game. In red-ball cricket, or Test cricket, even surviving five days against the Kangaroos is a feat.
However, things have changed slightly in the last 10 years. India defeated Australia in two consecutive Test series at home. Recently, the West Indies also defeated Australia at the Gabba, Australia’s home ground. Meanwhile, Australia has suffered the biggest upset of all, perhaps the biggest upset in its Test cricket history. In the first match of the two-match series against Bangladesh in Darwin, Australia suffered a crushing 9-wicket defeat.
Bangladesh created history in Darwin
The world’s No. 9 Bangladesh team easily defeated the No. 1 ranked Australia in their own backyard in the fourth day of the match (AUS vs BAN). This is Bangladesh’s first Test win in Australia. Before this stupendous feat, the Bangladesh team, which had performed sporadically, has now achieved a moment in cricket history that even the most prestigious teams fail to achieve.
Big lead from the first innings
Australia were bundled out for just 198 in the first innings and Bangladesh responded with a mammoth 426 in their first innings. They took a commanding 228-run lead whic actually paved their way. Australia were bowled out for 284 in the second innings, leaving Bangladesh with a target of small 57 runs to win, a target they easily achieved for the loss of just one wicket.
Speaking of the batsmen, Bangladesh’s opening batsman Tanzid Hasan Tamim (101) scored a brilliant century in the first innings, while captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto (84) and all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz (65) scored valuable half-centuries. Australia’s batting, on the other hand, flopped in both innings. Only Steve Smith (71) was able to put up a fight in the first innings, while Cameron Green single-handedly scored a brilliant century of 104 runs in the second innings, supported by Steve Smith (44).
Hasan Mahmud’s memorable spell
On the bowling front, Bangladesh’s pacers and spinners did not give any chance to the Australian batsmen to play freely. In the first innings, Bangladeshi fast bowler Hasan Mahmud bowled lethally and took 6 wickets for 55 runs, while in the second innings, off-spinner Mehdi Hasan Miraz took 5 wickets for 66 runs. Mahmud also took 3 wickets in the second innings (total 9 wickets in the match). On the other hand, for Australia, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood took 6 wickets (for 89 runs) in the first innings but could not save the team from defeat (AUS vs BAN).
Chasing a modest target of 57, Bangladesh’s Shadman Islam (25) and Mominul Haque (30) remained unbeaten to take their team past the brink of victory. Australia’s only breakthrough in the second innings came from Josh Hazlewood, who bowled Tanzid Hasan Tamim for a duck. This crushing defeat dealt a severe blow to the Australian team’s home dominance, while for Bangladesh, it marked one of the most memorable and significant victories in Test history.
Brief scores: Australia 198 & 284 (Cameron Green 104; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 5-66, Hasan Mahmud 3-56) lost to Bangladesh 426 (Tanzid Hasan Tamim 101, Najmul Hossain Shanto 84, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 65; Josh Hazlewood 6-89) & 57/1 (Mominul Haque 30*) by 9 wickets.
Player of the match: Hasan Mahmud
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