Australia still thinking of victory despite three days on the back foot

Entering Day 4 of the Darwin Test, the Australian camp maintained a firm, unyielding stance of optimism despite finding themselves trailing by 67 runs with four wickets already down. Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, fresh off joining the elite 300-Test-wicket club, embodied that belief. Pointing to the variable bounce showing on the surface and referencing Australia’s iconic 1992 comeback against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Hazlewood emphasized that a win was "still definitely in our mind" if the middle order could bat long enough to set Bangladesh any sort of target.However, Australia’s desperate hope for a dramatic turnaround quickly dissolved as Bangladesh put the finishing touches on one of the greatest upsets in modern cricket history, sealing a dominant nine-wicket victory on Day 4. The Hope That FadedAustralia’s slim path to survival rested entirely on the middle-order partnership between Cameron Green and Alex Carey. Trailing Bangladesh’s massive first-innings total of 426, the hosts needed to wipe out the remaining deficit and set a tricky fourth-innings target on an unpredictable pitch. Green provided the lone resistance for Australia, displaying composure under intense scrutiny to construct a fighting second-innings century (104). Riding the luck Hazlewood had noted the previous evening—after an inside edge had clipped his leg stump without dislodging the bails on Day 3—Green reached his third Test hundred to temporarily stall the visitors. Mehidy Hasan Miraz Turns the ScrewDespite Green’s heroics, Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz ensured Australia’s fightback was short-lived. Mirroring his pre-day confidence, where he insisted Bangladesh must "own the first session on Day 4," Mehidy delivered a masterclass in off-spin bowling. Mehidy ripped through the lower-middle order, removing Carey (30), Beau Webster (5), and skipper Pat Cummins (9) before lunch, eventually finishing with stellar second-innings figures of 5 for 66. Australia were ultimately bowled out for 284, setting Bangladesh a nominal target of just 57 runs for victory. A Historical Upset RealizedChasing 57, Bangladesh made light work of the target, reaching the mark for the loss of just one wicket in 14.2 overs. Mominul Haque (30*) and Shadman Islam (25*) guided the team home, triggering passionate celebrations from the traveling Bangladeshi supporters in Darwin. The defeat marks one of Australia’s most humbling Test losses on home soil. To put the scale of the upset into perspective: Maiden Victory Down Under: This marks Bangladesh’s first-ever Test match win on Australian soil. Fastest by an Asian Side: Bangladesh secured a Test win in Australia in just three matches, faster than any other Asian nation in Test history. Unsurmounted Deficit: Australia failed to overcome their 228-run first-innings deficit, leaving their 1992 Colombo comeback intact as their record recovery. Top-Order Woes: While Green answered his critics, the under-fire duo of Jake Weatherald and Marnus Labuschagne remain under severe scrutiny after another cheap set of dismissals. Looking AheadWhile Hazlewood and the Australian bowling attack— boasting over 1,200 collective Test wickets—believed the pitch held enough tricks to defend a score, the batters simply could not give them enough runs to play with. For Bangladesh, lead pacer Hasan Mahmud (6/55 in the first innings) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz have etched their names into cricket folklore. For Pat Cummins' Australian side, the defeat forces an immediate reckoning before the second Test in Mackay.