Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz is aiming to secure a series victory after Bangladesh defeated Australia by nine wickets at Darwin, marking a historic achievement for the team. The match saw a commanding performance, highlighted by Hasan Mahmud’s nine wickets, Miraz’s all-round contributions, and a century by Tanzid Hasan.
Miraz scored 65 runs off 154 balls, extending Bangladesh’s first innings lead to 228 runs. He then took a five-wicket haul to restrict Australia, setting a target of only 57 runs which Bangladesh reached with nine wickets to spare. The victory sets Bangladesh up for a rare 2-0 series win as the teams prepare to contest the second and final Test in Mackay, north Queensland.
“Of course we are thinking that way (clinching the series), and we want to stay focused on the approach we have taken,” Miraz said, as quoted by the International Cricket Council. “Since we won the first match, an even bigger challenge awaits us. (But) winning a Test match is never easy. Right now, we just want to carry this momentum forward, and we will plan for the next match later.”
The win was supported by strong performances across the team. Player of the Match Hasan Mahmud took six wickets in the first innings and nine in the match overall. Opener Tanzid Hasan’s century was crucial when the contest was competitive, while Miraz excelled with both bat and ball.
The triumph followed a prior defeat to Cricket Australia XI in Bangladesh’s only tour match, where they were bowled out for 54 in the second innings. Miraz credited the team management for their support during challenging times. “When I was struggling myself, our team manager, Nafis Iqbal, gave me a lot of encouragement on how to play in these conditions,” he said. “I was very happy mentally and talked to him a lot. At one point, he even bowled to me in the nets, and I faced his bowling.”
He also praised Mushtaq Ahmed from the management team, who encouraged the players to maintain faith following their earlier loss. “After we lost the first match, he 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,’” Miraz concluded.
The second Test is scheduled to begin in Mackay on August 22. A Bangladesh victory would propel the team above Australia into third place in the World Test Championship standings as they strive to reach the final for the first time.
