Tigers Land Home to Cheers After Historic Aussie Test Draw
Bangladesh's Test squad received a heroes' welcome in Dhaka after their momentous tour Down Under, drawing the series 1-1 with a landmark maiden victory on Australian soil. The Tigers' first Test win in Australia in 23 years underscores their growing global stature.
Dhaka erupted in a heroes' welcome for the Bangladesh Test squad on Friday, greeted with garlands and applause from Bangladesh Cricket Board officials and enthusiastic fans. Their return marked the end of a momentous and record-setting two-match Test series against Australia, which saw the Tigers achieve their inaugural Test victory on Australian soil, ultimately drawing the historic contest 1-1.
This tour, Bangladesh's first Test visit Down Under in 23 years, transcended mere results. It was a crucial part of the 2025–2027 ICC World Test Championship, offering a rare opportunity to test themselves against the world's best in unfamiliar winter conditions, held in the tropical northern regions of Darwin and Mackay.
The series opener at Marrara Stadium in Darwin delivered a seismic shockwave through the cricketing world. Bangladesh dismantled top-ranked Australia with a resounding nine-wicket victory within four days. Pacer Hasan Mahmud led the charge with an exceptional 6 for 55 in Australia's first innings, the best by a Bangladeshi bowler against Australia, anchoring their collapse to 198 – their lowest Test total against Bangladesh.
Bangladesh responded emphatically with the bat, posting 426, buoyed by Tanzid Hasan's magnificent 101 – a maiden Test century that made him the first Bangladeshi player to achieve such a feat in Australia. All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz also shone, contributing 65 runs and later claiming five wickets as Australia capitulated for 284 in their second innings, leaving the Tigers a comfortable 57-run chase.
"This is the biggest win so far in any format for our country," captain Najmul Hossain Shanto declared, his words reflecting the immense pride and collective effort. "We worked incredibly hard for this, and it makes us believe we can achieve something special in the future."
However, the second Test at Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay presented a starkly different challenge. Australia rebounded ferociously, inflicting an innings and 51-run defeat to level the series. Bangladesh's batting faltered dramatically, bowled out for under 100 in both innings (64 and 95).
Despite the heavy loss, left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam etched his name into the record books with a personal milestone, securing his maiden five-wicket haul of 7 for 48, the best by a Bangladeshi pacer. Australian spearhead Mitchell Starc was deservedly named Player of the Series for his 12 wickets, surpassing Nathan Lyon to become the highest wicket-taker in the World Test Championship.
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg acknowledged the strategic foresight of utilizing northern Australian venues in August for Test cricket, highlighting the strategic advantage of northern Australian venues. This landmark tour unequivocally underscores Bangladesh's growing stature in Test cricket, demonstrating their potential to carve out historic victories far from home.