Darwin — Bangladesh scripted a momentous chapter in their cricketing history by clinching an emphatic nine-wicket victory over Australia in the first Test at Darwin, securing their first-ever Test match win on Australian soil.

The tourists completely outplayed the world's top-ranked Test team over four days, bouncing back from an underwhelming tour match to complete a clinical performance. After setting up a dominant 228-run first-innings lead, Bangladesh dismissed Australia for 284 in their second innings before chasing down a modest 57-run target in just 14.2 overs on the fourth afternoon.

How the Landmark Win Unfolded

The tone was set on the opening morning by paceman Hasan Mahmud, who ripped through Australia’s batting lineup with figures of 6/55 to bowl the hosts out for 198, despite a resilient 71 from Steve Smith. In response, Bangladesh piled on 426, spearheaded by Tanzid Hasan's 101 alongside composed innings from Najmul Hossain Shanto (84) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (65). Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood claimed six wickets and reached the milestone of 300 Test wickets, but Bangladesh’s massive lead left Australia with an uphill battle.

Australia were reduced to 73/3 in their second innings before Cameron Green launched a determined counter-attack. Green struck a fighting 104 off 201 deliveries to guide Australia past parity, but Mehidy’s spin masterclass (5/66) and three scalps from Player of the Match Mahmud curtailed the innings at 284, leaving Bangladesh a small chase to seal history.

Mehidy: 'Winning Like This Always Feels Amazing'

All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who starred with both bat and ball, hailed the victory and urged his team to sustain their momentum ahead of the second Test in Mackay.

“Look, winning a match like this always feels amazing. Even you all probably never thought we would win a match in these conditions. We believed, but at the end of the day, the result isn't in our hands, we can only try,” Mehidy said. “Since we won the first match, an even bigger challenge awaits us. Winning a Test match is never easy. Right now, we just want to carry this momentum forward.”

Mehidy highlighted the role of the support staff in revitalising team morale after they were bowled out for 54 against a Cricket Australia XI in their tour warm-up. He credited team manager Nafis Iqbal and spin consultant Mushtaq Ahmed for restoring belief. “Mushtaq Ahmed went to every single player and told us, 'Have faith. If you believe, winning is possible, and faith can take you a long way.' Starting from those small things, we began to believe, and you can all see the results today,” he added.

Mehidy was also thrilled by praise received from former Australian wicketkeeping great Adam Gilchrist during a post-match interview: “He congratulated me and said that the Bangladesh team played very good cricket. He said, 'You guys surprised us. We never thought that you can play cricket like this.' When such a legendary player speaks so well about our team, I feel very good about myself.”

Smith Admits Australia Outplayed; Green Earns High Praise

Australian batter Steve Smith conceded that Australia had been thoroughly bested but backed his side to rebound. “Pretty simple: we were outplayed. I thought Bangladesh bowled really well the first morning, really disciplined. Our batters probably weren’t disciplined enough,” Smith said. “I hope it’s one bad week. We’re the number one team for a reason. We’ve played really good, consistent cricket over a long period of time, and this week was a bit of a blip.”

Australia’s lone standout from the second innings, Cameron Green, earned high praise from Gilchrist and Kerry O'Keeffe. “He is a big man who shoulders a lot of responsibility. There is a blueprint there for Cameron Green to follow and look to execute now. It is one of the positive stories out of what has been a really tough match for the Australians,” Gilchrist stated.

O'Keeffe echoed the sentiment, noting: “Cameron Green has been brilliant. He had the rhythm of a number five and the way he's constructed this innings is a good thing going forward. You can sense a long career ahead of him now.”