Bangladesh rock Australia as historic Test win in sight

What the report says

Bangladesh put themselves within reach of a landmark Test victory over Australia after the third day of the first match in Darwin, with the hosts finishing on 161-4 and still 67 runs behind in their second innings. The game was still in progress at the close, but Bangladesh had already done enough across the first three days to make the result remarkable, given they entered the series as clear underdogs.

Al Jazeera reported that spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz and seamer Hasan Mahmud were central to Bangladesh’s push. Mehidy contributed with the bat in the first innings, helping the visitors reach 426, and later took the important wicket of Steve Smith. Hasan Mahmud also struck early, removing both Australian openers cheaply. Australia’s reply was steadied for a time by Marnus Labuschagne and Smith, but both fell before stumps as Bangladesh kept the pressure on.

The match matters because Bangladesh are seeking their first Test win in Australia, and this is their third attempt. Their performance has already defied expectations after a difficult warm-up game, and their first-innings total, along with disciplined bowling and sustained application in the field, has left the home side under serious pressure. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said his team was focused on taking the contest session by session.