Historic Test win in Darwin as Bangladesh stun Australia

Bangladesh completed one of the greatest upsets in Test cricket history, crushing Australia by nine wickets on the fourth day of the series opener in Darwin.

Chasing a modest 57 for victory after bowling the hosts out for 284, Mominul Haque sealed the win with a boundary off Beau Webster, sparking wild celebrations in the Bangladesh camp as they marked arguably their finest result in 26 years of Test cricket.

BBC Sport reporter Paul Battison writes that the triumph carries extra weight given Australia's status as the world's top-ranked Test side, and comes more than two decades after Bangladesh's last five-day series on Australian soil ended in a 2-0 defeat in 2003.

Spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the standout performer on day four, claiming 5-66 to wrap up the Australian innings and leave the tourists needing just 57 more runs. According to the BBC, Miraz had wicketkeeper Alex Carey caught behind for 30 before bowling all-rounder Webster for five with a pair of well-crafted deliveries. He later accounted for captain Pat Cummins, caught in close for eight, and dismissed Nathan Lyon to put the result beyond doubt.

Cameron Green offered late resistance with a defiant century – his third in a home Test, and a timely one amid scrutiny over his place in the side – but his dismissal by seamer Hasan Mahmud effectively ended Australia's hopes. A gritty 43-run eighth-wicket stand between Green and Mitchell Starc was broken when Taskin Ahmed had Starc caught behind for 18.

Mahmud was named player of the match after finishing with 6-55 in the first innings and 3-56 in the second.

Bangladesh's reply began shakily when opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim fell for a duck to Josh Hazlewood in the second over, but an unbeaten 30 from Mominul and a composed 25 from Shadman Islam carried the tourists home in comfortable fashion.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto called it the country's greatest achievement in any format of the game. “I'm very happy, proud of myself and the way the boys played. We did a lot of hard work,” he said, quoted by the BBC.

Australia captain Pat Cummins was gracious in defeat, acknowledging his side had been comprehensively outplayed. “I thought our prep was spot-on, no excuses,” he said.

ABC commentator Jim Maxwell, cited by the BBC, described the result as among the most embarrassing defeats Australia has suffered in the format's history.

Miraz's second-innings performance followed a gritty 65 with the bat on day three that helped Bangladesh into a healthy first-innings lead, and came after he had already accounted for Australia talisman Steve Smith earlier in the innings.

The result marks only the second time Bangladesh have beaten Australia in a Test – after their maiden win at Mirpur in 2017 – and their first ever on Australian soil.

The two-match series continues with the second Test starting on 22 August, with live commentary available via BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra