Bangladesh continued their dominant display in the Darwin Test, reaching 417/8 by the lunch break on the third day. With this total, the visitors have established a significant 219-run lead over Australia. Mehidy Hasan Miraz anchored the innings, bringing up his 12th Test half-century to keep the scoreboard moving despite the early loss of Hasan Mahmud.
This performance marks only the second time Bangladesh has surpassed 400 runs in a Test match against Australia. Their previous record of 427 runs was set during the 2006 Fatullah Test, a mark they are now well-positioned to challenge. At the interval, Mehidy remained unbeaten on 65, accompanied by Taskin Ahmed, who was not out on 12. The pair had successfully added 45 runs off 92 deliveries for the ninth wicket.
The morning session saw Hasan Mahmud depart as the first wicket to fall, having contributed 14 runs from 92 balls. His partnership with Mehidy had yielded 46 crucial runs. Following his exit, Taijul Islam joined the fray, adding 18 runs alongside Mehidy. Mehidy, who carried his strong form from the warm-up match into this series, displayed remarkable composure against aggressive bowling and bouncers. His 50 came off 117 balls, proving his ability to manage the tail effectively.
Australia’s frustration grew as the lower-order partnerships continued to frustrate their bowling attack. The hosts also struggled with missed opportunities, notably when Steve Smith dropped a straightforward catch near the boundary line, offering Taskin a reprieve. With the current momentum, Australia’s path to recovery in the match appears increasingly difficult.
In the first innings, Australia was dismissed for 198, with Steve Smith scoring 71 and Hasan Mahmud claiming 6/55. Bangladesh’s total of 417/8 includes key contributions from Tanzid Tamim (101), Najmul Hossain Shanto (84), Mominul Haque (49), and Mushfiqur Rahim (36), while Josh Hazlewood has been the pick of the Australian bowlers with 4/86.
