AUS vs BAN 1st Test, Day 1: Hasan Mahmud’s Career-Best 6-55 Gives Bangladesh a Dream Start in Darwin

Bangladesh haven’t had many days like this on Australian soil, and honestly, they haven’t had many days on Australian soil at all — this tour is their first trip Down Under in 23 years. But if Friday’s opening day at Darwin’s Marrara Stadium is anything to go by, the long wait might have been worth it. Hasan Mahmud produced the innings of his career with the ball, Australia’s famous top order fell apart around him, and by the close Bangladesh were very much in the contest rather than just making up the numbers.

It’s also worth remembering how this series came together in the first place. This is only the second time in 22 years that Darwin has hosted a Test match, and the whole tour was actually squeezed into the calendar after Cricket Australia moved things around to make room for the 150th Anniversary Test against England. None of that history mattered much once the game started, though — Bangladesh simply turned up and played like a team with nothing to lose.

Australia Fold for Just 198

Australia brought back their strongest possible bowling attack for this one, with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon all returning to the side together for the first time in more than a year. It didn’t help their batters much, though, because it was Bangladesh’s bowling attack that did the real damage on the day.

Steven Smith was the one shining light for the home side, grinding out 71 off 109 balls in what was largely a one-man rescue act. Nobody else in the Australian top order managed to build anything close to a substantial score, and the innings folded for just 198 — a genuinely below-par total on what looked like a used, slightly tricky pitch, but still one that most sides would have expected to pass.

Hasan Mahmud Steals the Show

The story of the day, without much competition, was Hasan Mahmud. The seamer produced career-best figures of 6 for 55, tearing through the Australian batting order and giving Bangladesh a platform that would have looked unthinkable before the match started. He got good support too — Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain picked up two wickets apiece, meaning Bangladesh’s three frontline seamers accounted for all ten Australian wickets between them.

For a bowling attack that was bowled out for just 54 in their own warm-up game less than a week ago, this was about as complete a turnaround as Bangladesh could have asked for.

Bangladesh’s Reply: A Solid, If Slightly Bumpy, Start

Chasing a below-par total is one thing, but Bangladesh still had to go out and do the job with the bat. Openers Shadman Islam and Tanzid Hasan got things underway, and while Shadman didn’t last too long — he was caught at cover off Mitchell Starc for 20 after getting a big leading edge trying to work a fuller ball into the leg side — the platform was already there.

Mominul Haque came in at three and settled in quickly alongside Tanzid, and the pair steadied things nicely through the middle session. By the close of play, Bangladesh had reached 96 for 1, with Mominul unbeaten on 35 and Tanzid on 32, leaving the tourists trailing by exactly 102 runs with nine wickets still in hand — a genuinely encouraging position given how the day started.

Day 1 Snapshot

• Australia: 198 all out — Steven Smith 71 (109 balls); Hasan Mahmud 6/55, Taskin Ahmed 2/55, Ebadot Hossain 2/39
• Bangladesh (in reply): 96/1 — Mominul Haque 35*, Tanzid Hasan 32*, Shadman Islam 20 (c, b Starc)
• Bangladesh trail by 102 runs at stumps

Starc Makes History Too

Amid all the talk about Bangladesh’s day, Mitchell Starc quietly slipped into the record books himself. His wicket of Shadman Islam took him to 434 Test wickets, moving him past Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath and making him the leading wicket-taker among left-arm bowlers in Test cricket history — a genuinely significant personal milestone, even if it came on a day his side struggled overall.

What Comes Next

Day 2 is a big one for Bangladesh. With a 102-run deficit and nine wickets still in the shed, there’s a real opportunity here to push into the lead and put Australia under serious pressure on home soil — something that would have felt almost unimaginable at the start of this tour. Mominul and Tanzid will resume in the morning knowing exactly how important the next session or two could be for the shape of this entire Test.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Where is the 1st Test between Australia and Bangladesh being played?

The match is being played at Marrara Stadium in Darwin, from August 13 to 17, 2026.

What was Australia’s first innings total?

Australia were bowled out for 198, with Steven Smith top-scoring on 71.

Who was the standout bowler for Bangladesh on Day 1?

Hasan Mahmud, who took career-best figures of 6 for 55.

What was Bangladesh’s score at the end of Day 1?

Bangladesh finished the day on 96 for 1, trailing Australia by 102 runs, with Mominul Haque (35*) and Tanzid Hasan (32*) unbeaten at the crease.

What record did Mitchell Starc break on Day 1?

Starc became the leading wicket-taker among left-arm bowlers in Test history, moving past Rangana Herath with his 434th wicket.

Why is this Test significant for Bangladesh?

It’s Bangladesh’s first Test tour of Australia in 23 years, and Darwin’s first Test match in 22 years, adding extra historical weight to the contest.