Bangladesh Achieves Historic Test Victory Over Australia in Darwin
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed immense pride in his team’s performance after they secured their first Test win in Australia, defeating the hosts by nine wickets in Darwin. Following the decisive victory, Shanto indicated that the entire team deserved the Player-of-the-Match award, while also highlighting the crucial contributions of his fast bowlers.
The standout performer of the match was Hasan Mahmud, who took nine wickets, earning him the Player of the Match accolade. Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain played pivotal roles as well, helping to dismiss Australia for 198 after Shanto lost the toss on the opening day. Notably, this marked only the second occasion that Bangladesh’s quick bowlers had taken all ten wickets in an innings.
“If you look at the first session of the match, I think the way Hasan, Taskin, and Ebadot bowled, that set the tone for this match,” Shanto remarked. He praised Hasan’s consistent performance, mentioning that he had excelled in similar conditions while playing in county cricket prior to the Test. “The fast bowlers are bowling really well in the last few years,” he added.
The spinners also made significant contributions, with Mehidy Hasan achieving his 15th five-wicket haul in Tests, marking his third overseas. Taijul Islam, Bangladesh’s all-time leading wicket-taker in Tests, dismissed Marnus Labuschagne at a crucial juncture in Australia’s second innings, further solidifying the team’s comprehensive performance.
Shanto also commended Tanzid Hasan for scoring a maiden century in just his second Test match. He highlighted how the lower order batted effectively, contributing crucial runs to help Bangladesh amass 426 in their first innings. “I think the Bangladesh team should be given the Player-of-the-Match trophy. Everyone contributed in some way,” Shanto noted, emphasizing the importance of their collective effort.
Prior to this Test, Bangladesh faced challenges, including being bowled out for 54 in a practice match in Darwin and suffering an innings defeat to Zimbabwe. Despite missing key players such as Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam, Shanto stated those setbacks did not diminish the team’s spirit. “We didn’t play well in that practice game, but that’s cricket for you… we treated it as a proper practice match,” he said.
Reflecting on the unique opportunity of touring Australia for the first time in 23 years, Shanto acknowledged the toughness of the conditions but expressed confidence in his team’s adaptability. “We accepted the challenge, which showed in the way we adapted and enjoyed in this Test match,” he said.
Following the victory, Shanto received congratulations from Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, and he noted the significance of the moment for the team and its supporters back home. “We should definitely celebrate this win. We get these moments very few times in our life,” he concluded.
Special Credits: Image Courtesy of Espn
