Australian batter Steve Smith received multiple lifelines on the opening day of the Darwin Test. He was dropped by Tanzid Hasan when on two runs and later narrowly avoided dismissal against Ebadot Hossain. These reprieves proved vital as Smith went on to score 71 runs, helping Australia reach a competitive total.
The second escape involved a critical technological intervention. During the 21st over bowled by Ebadot, a delivery passed near Smith’s bat into the gloves of wicketkeeper Litton Das. Umpire Kumar Dharmasena turned down Bangladesh’s appeal, prompting a review. Smith, believing he had edged the ball, had already begun walking toward the dressing room before UltraEdge showed no spike, overturning the initial suspicion.
Reflecting on the incident during the post-match press conference, Smith admitted, “I also thought it hit the bat. Sometimes that happens. Maybe it didn’t, but I felt something. If the umpire had given me out, I would have walked. It feels like technology saved me today.”
Despite Smith’s resilience, the Australian innings was curtailed by Hasan Mahmud, who claimed a career-best 6 wickets to bowl the hosts out for 198. By the close of play, Bangladesh reached 96/1, trailing Australia by 102 runs. Smith remains optimistic that Australia can take quick wickets on the second day to regain control of the match.
