Bangladesh stun Australia by nine wickets in Darwin for historic first Test win on Australian soil

How Bangladesh closed out a famous win

Bangladesh completed a nine-wicket victory over Australia at Marrara Oval in Darwin on Sunday, registering their first Test win on Australian soil and only their second win over the world’s top-ranked Test nation. Chasing a modest target of 57, the visitors lost opener Tanzid Hasan for a duck to Josh Hazlewood before Mominul Haque, unbeaten on 30, sealed the result by cutting Beau Webster to the boundary, with Shadman Islam finishing not out on 25. Australia had been bowled out for 284 in their second innings midway through the afternoon session, leaving Bangladesh needing just over a session to finish the job.

How the match was built

Australia, electing to bat first, were dismissed for 198, with Steve Smith’s 71 the only meaningful contribution. Hasan Mahmud led the demolition with 6 for 55, supported by Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain, who each took two wickets. Bangladesh replied with 426, powered by Tanzid Hasan’s maiden Test century of 101, a half-century from Najmul Hossain Shanto (84) and a vital 65 from Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Josh Hazlewood’s 6 for 89 was Australia’s lone highlight with the ball in the first innings. In Australia’s second innings, Cameron Green’s composed 104 from 201 balls was the only resistance before Mehidy finished with 5 for 66 and Hasan Mahmud added 3 for 66 to seal a 228-run first-innings lead overall.

The records that fell

Bangladesh became the fastest Asian team to win a Test in Australia, doing so in just their third match on Australian soil, bettering Pakistan (seven Tests) and India (12 Tests). The nine-wicket margin is Bangladesh’s second-biggest Test win by wickets, after their 10-wicket victory over Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2024. The result also ended Australia’s long-standing home dominance against Asian teams; Australia had not lost a home Test to an Asian side other than India since 1995. The Darwin win was Bangladesh’s second Test victory in a SENA country (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia), after their success at Mount Maunganui in 2022.

Captain’s verdict and political reaction

Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto called the result Bangladesh’s biggest win in any format. Seamer Hasan Mahmud was named player of the match for his nine wickets across the game. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman congratulated the squad by video call after the win, telling the players the country was “eagerly waiting to welcome” them home. It was Bangladesh’s first Test series in Australia in 23 years, their first since a 2-0 defeat in 2003, and they entered the match after being bowled out for 54 in a warm-up fixture against a Cricket Australia XI.

What remains in play

Bangladesh hold a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The second Test begins on 22 August 2026 in Australia, with Bangladesh’s pace resources still missing injured quicks Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam. The all-format mood inside the Bangladesh camp has shifted, with Shanto noting that his side’s pacers now “want to play, want to perform, want to be world class” in Test cricket, a marked change from five years earlier.