Bangladesh suffered a crushing innings-and-51-run defeat against Australia in the Mackay Test, with the match ending inside two days after the visitors were dismissed for just 95 in their second innings.
Having been bowled out for 64 in the first innings, Bangladesh once again failed to mount any meaningful resistance with the bat. Their second-innings total of 95 meant they failed to reach 100 in either innings of a Test match for the first time.
Australia had taken control from the outset after winning the toss and electing to bat. Bangladesh struggled to make an impact with either bat or ball for most of the contest, although fast bowler Shoriful Islam provided the visitors with one of the few bright moments of the match.
Shoriful claimed seven wickets in Australia’s first innings, producing the best figures by a Bangladesh pace bowler in Test cricket. The performance was also the best of his career, offering Bangladesh some encouragement despite the team’s overall struggles.
Australia resumed the second day’s play at 165 for eight and eventually reached 210 before being bowled out. Bangladesh had managed to take the final two wickets relatively early in the opening session, but the advantage was short-lived. The visitors still faced a daunting task after their disappointing first-innings effort.
Bangladesh began their second innings cautiously, scoring five runs during the opening two overs. The pressure, however, returned almost immediately. In the third over, Mitchell Starc dismissed opener Shadman Islam, who was caught by Marnus Labuschagne at point. From the very next delivery, Starc breached Mominul Haque’s off stump.
At 5 for two, Bangladesh were already in serious trouble.
Tanzid Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto attempted to steady the innings, showing greater caution against the Australian attack. Their resistance lasted only a short while. On the final delivery of the eighth over, Tanzid fell to Australia captain Pat Cummins, edging a catch to Starc.
Bangladesh went to lunch at 39 for three, still trailing by a substantial margin and facing the prospect of an extremely early finish.
The collapse accelerated after the interval. Shanto was dismissed while attempting to advance down the wicket, before Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz also departed. With wickets falling in quick succession, an innings defeat appeared increasingly inevitable.
Hasan Mahmud and Taijul Islam were subsequently bowled, leaving Mushfiqur Rahim to shoulder much of the responsibility for extending Bangladesh’s innings. He found an ally in Taskin Ahmed, and together they tried to delay Australia’s victory.
Bangladesh went into the tea interval with only two wickets remaining and still needing 51 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Mushfiqur remained the main source of resistance, but the task proved beyond the visitors.
Taskin was dismissed with the first ball after the interval, caught in the slips. Shoriful then came to the crease but lasted only two deliveries before Nathan Lyon dismissed him. Bangladesh were all out for 95, handing Australia an innings-and-51-run victory.
The result brought a disappointing end to the Mackay Test, but it did not erase Bangladesh’s achievement earlier in the series. Playing in Australia for the first time in 23 years, Bangladesh had secured a memorable victory in the Darwin Test.
That result ensured the two-Test series finished 1–1. Despite the heavy defeat in Mackay, the series will therefore remain a significant chapter in Bangladesh’s Test history, particularly because of their breakthrough victory in Darwin and Shoriful’s outstanding individual bowling display in the final match.