Former Australian batsman Mark Waugh has unequivocally labelled Bangladesh’s stunning nine-wicket triumph over Australia in Darwin as arguably the most significant upset he has witnessed in Australian cricket history. This declaration comes in the wake of Najmul Hossain Shanto’s side achieving a truly historic victory on Sunday, marking Bangladesh’s inaugural Test match win on Australian soil and only their second ever against the formidable Australian team in this format.
Throughout the majority of the opening Test, the visiting Bangladeshi team maintained a commanding position. They ultimately pursued and successfully chased a relatively modest target of 57 runs within 14.2 overs, losing only a single wicket in the process. Speaking during Fox Cricket’s comprehensive coverage, Waugh expressed particular astonishment at the outcome, especially considering that Australia fielded a full-strength squad, while Bangladesh was notably without two of their crucial bowlers, Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam.
Waugh emphatically stated that this result potentially stands as the greatest upset he can recall occurring in Australia. He even drew a comparison with the West Indies’ memorable victory over Australia at the Gabba in January 2024, but subsequently suggested that Bangladesh’s achievement surpassed even that in terms of sheer shock value. He elaborated, “The West Indies beat Australia at the Gabba three or four years ago – that was an upset. But this one, given their best two bowlers, Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam, are not playing, the rankings, the Australian team back at full strength, it’s a big one, this one.”
The foundation of Bangladesh’s historic victory was laid by an exceptional first-innings performance. After choosing to bat first, Australia found themselves bowled out for a mere 198 runs, with Steve Smith’s 71 being the highest individual contribution. Bangladesh responded magnificently, accumulating a formidable total of 426 runs as the pitch progressively eased for batting, thereby establishing a commanding lead of 228 runs and placing Australia under immense pressure.
While the hosts exhibited greater resilience in their second innings, largely propelled by the efforts of Cameron Green, who scored 104 runs from 201 balls to register his third Test century and his first on Australian soil, this proved insufficient. Green, however, received minimal support as Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz systematically dismantled Australia’s lower order. Mehidy concluded with impressive figures of 5-66, having claimed four wickets on Day 4, including those of Alex Carey, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon.
Ultimately, Australia was bowled out for 284, leaving Bangladesh with a relatively straightforward target of just 57 runs for victory. Although Josh Hazlewood briefly ignited a flicker of hope for Australia by dismissing first-innings centurion Tanzid Hasan for a duck, Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque expertly and calmly guided their team to complete the chase.
This result not only marks Bangladesh’s second-ever Test victory over Australia, following their initial triumph in Dhaka in 2017, but it also represents a significant setback for Cummins’ Australian side. The team now faces intense scrutiny ahead of the second Test in Mackay, Queensland, which is scheduled to commence on August 22. Furthermore, this unexpected defeat is likely to trigger serious questions regarding Australia’s team combination and selection strategies, especially given Bangladesh’s dominant performance against a full-strength home team for the vast majority of the match.
