Darwin, 13 August 2026:
Hasan Mahmud could hardly have asked for a better introduction to Test cricket in Australia.
Playing his first Test on Australian soil and remarkably, his first Test against Australia, the Bangladesh right-arm pacer produced the finest bowling performance of his Test career, ripping through the hosts with figures of 6 for 55 in Darwin on the first day of the first Test.
Australia elected to bat first but were dismissed for just 198 in 53 overs, with Hasan at the heart of Bangladesh’s outstanding effort.
The 26-year-old struck early by removing opener Jake Weatherald for 23 before bowling Travis Head for 22. He later returned to inflict further damage, dismissing captain Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc as Australia slipped from 152 for six to 176 for eight.
His biggest prize was Steve Smith. The Australian great had fought almost single-handedly for his side, making 71 from 109 deliveries, before Hasan finally ended his resistance. Nathan Lyon became Hasan’s sixth victim as Australia were bowled out for 198.
The performance continued an impressive trend in Hasan’s Test career: producing his best spells away from Bangladesh.
His first five-wicket haul came against Pakistan at Rawalpindi in August 2024, where he claimed 5 for 43. Less than a month later, he followed it with 5 for 83 against India in Chennai. Now Darwin has been added to that list.
His 6 for 55 surpassed both previous performances and gave Hasan his third Test five-wicket haul — all three coming away from home and against three of world cricket’s biggest sides: Pakistan, India and Australia.
Born in Laxmipur in 1999, Hasan has steadily developed into an important part of Bangladesh’s pace attack.
On a historic day as Test cricket returned to Darwin after 23 years, Hasan ensured his name would be permanently attached to the occasion.
