Bangladesh chase rare innings win in Darwin Test
Bangladesh are chasing a rare innings victory in the Test against Australia in Darwin on August 15, 2026, with the hosts 161 for four at stumps on the third day, still 67 runs behind the tourists. A completed win would be Bangladesh’s first Test triumph in Australia and could make them only the third Asian side to beat Australia on home soil by an innings.
Asian sides have taken 14 Test wins in Australia, but an innings victory there has occurred only twice and not since 1981. Bishan Singh Bedi’s India defeated Bob Simpson’s Australia by an innings and two runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1978, while Javed Miandad’s Pakistan beat Greg Chappell’s Australia by an innings and 82 runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1981. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh remain the only Test-playing Asian nations yet to record a Test win in Australia; Bangladesh have placed themselves in a strong position in Darwin.
Bangladesh dominated the opening innings: Hasan Mahmud produced a career-best six-wicket haul to help bowl Australia out for 198, and the visitors replied with 426 to claim a 228-run lead. Tanzid Hasan scored a century to anchor the batting, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz added a useful 65.
Australia began their second innings under pressure and were 161 for four at stumps on the third day. Mehidy dismissed Steve Smith for 44, Taijul Islam removed Marnus Labuschagne for 31, and Hasan Mahmud took two further wickets as Bangladesh continued to make inroads into the Australian batting line-up.
By the close, Cameron Green and Alex Carey had provided some resistance, reaching 43 and 19 respectively, but the hosts still trailed by 67 runs with six wickets remaining. Bangladesh maintain the advantage but must complete six further dismissals to finish the match.
Mehidy has warned that the pitch remains good and that every wicket will require hard work, a caution the visitors must heed with a historic result within reach. Bangladesh cannot afford to ease off if they are to convert their position into a first Test win in Australia.
If Bangladesh take the remaining six wickets and chase down whatever target Australia set, they will register their first Test win in Australia; an innings victory would place them alongside India (1978) and Pakistan (1981) as the only Asian sides to have beaten Australia on Australian soil by an innings.
