Bangladesh had waited 23 years to play another Test match in Australia. Their historic first visit to the continent had been in 1998–99, but they hadn't returned since.
Perhaps that contributed to their surprise at how things panned out in this series. Not that they had much reason to feel confident about the series.
Bangladesh had just lost the Test series against Zimbabwe, and a day before the first Test against Australia they had been all out for 54 by a Cricket Australia XI in their warm-up match. Their preparations were further impeded by the unavailability of pace bowler Nahid Rana and a knee injury to Shoriful Islam, and at one stage captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was asked if his team could last three or four days against Australia.
In the end, they needed only three and a half. Their emphatic nine-wicket win in Darwin wasn't due to luck either.
Bangladesh bowled Australia out for 198, responded with a patient 426 to post a healthy 228-run lead, and then dismissed the hosts for a mere 284 in their reply. The chase of 57 was over in 14.2 overs.
For a team that hadn't played a Test match in Australia in over two decades, this was only the start of bigger things to come.
A 23-Year Wait Ends in History for Bangladesh
The last Test series between Bangladesh and Australia was played nearly two decades ago in 2003. Bangladesh lost both matches, going down in Darwin in an innings defeat.
More than 20 years later, the Tigers were back and got the better of the home team, scripting what turned out to be a shock win for Bangladesh.
It was Bangladesh's first-ever Test win on Australian soil, and only their second Test win over Australia overall. Winning in Australia, however, meant that they joined only two other teams from the continent (India and Pakistan) in history to register a Test win in Australia. The result spoke for itself, but not entirely.
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For Raiyan Ferdous, a Bangladesh supporter based in Long Island, New York, the win 'hits different' due to the opponent as well as the manner of victory.
“I would say this win hits different because we have been able to beat a cricketing giant like Australia in their own backyard,” said Ferdous.
What resonated with Ferdous was the fact that it was not an Aussie giant but a team of relatively unknown players who pulled off a stunning win.
“I feel this time it was not one or two players who came up with something special to get us to this position. From day one, from the very first session itself, we dismantled Australia, which is really hard to believe.”
That, perhaps, was the most impressive part of Bangladesh's 2023 victory in Darwin, which saw them dismantle Australia at will and in the process register their first-ever Test win on Australian soil. It was a team effort, with Bangladesh managing to find a match-winner in every department.
Hasan Mahmud got them off to a dream start with his six-wicket haul for 55 runs in Australia's first innings that saw the hosts in all sorts of trouble. He followed it up with three more wickets in the second innings to finish with a sensational nine wickets, and ended up being named the Player of the Match.
He shared opening duties with Tanzid Hasan Tamim, who scored a brilliant 101, becoming the first Bangladeshi batsman to score a Test century in Australia. In doing so, he not only set the platform for the Tigers to post a big total but also gave the middle order something to work with.
Finally, there was Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who did what the seamers were not able to do. After scoring 65 with the bat, the left-arm spinner turned the attack up a notch and cleaned up the tail. Chasing down five wickets in the second innings, Miraz took a five-wicket haul to restrict Australia from posting a competitive total.
It was a special performance from Miraz, who became the first Bangladeshi spinner to pick up five wickets in an innings in Australia. It may not be easy to believe, but there are very few other spinners, apart from Miraz, to have bagged a five-wicket haul in an innings in Australia.
Muralitharan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, and Yasir Shah are some of the other legendary spinners to have played Tests in Australia, but none of them was able to achieve the feat.
Of course, one cannot say Miraz is a better spinner than Murali or Ashwin as they were all phenomenal in their own right. However, Miraz's achievement is special because of this record, and not to forget, his incredible effort.
In Darwin, Bangladesh had the ideal blend of pace, power, and spin. Mahmud, Tamim, and Miraz were the three key men who dismantled Australia's batting lineup. For Bangladesh supporters, however, the victory was never going to be remembered solely in tallies.
The names Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah will live forever in the hearts of an entire generation. Their exploits formed an indelible part of friendships and families.
As that generation grew up, moved on and grew distant from the game, the passion for Bangladesh cricket inevitably changed too.
Prokhor Sikdar of Cumilla felt that the Darwin win could be the start of something new.
“This victory is not just a test cricket win. Most probably in all formats, this is one of the biggest wins in Bangladesh cricket history. To beat Australia in a test match on Australian soil is something special.
But Prokhor also felt that the passion for the team was changing, as he explained the difference with the 'Shakib-Tamim-Mashrafe' era.
“We had a different kind of relationship with that generation coming into the game. As they grew into the game, as they gradually moved away… the fire that we had for Bangladesh cricket perhaps wasn't quite the same. We are slowly getting used to this new generation.”
Their passion, however, had not disappeared – it had just been waiting for a new reason to ignite. For Prokhor, that reason meant he got to spend his working Sunday watching cricket instead of his freelancing clients.
“As I am about to go for some work, as I am a freelancer. But after this win, I don't really feel like working. I feel like spending this day with Bangladesh cricket.
The celebration for him was not going to be in any fancy restaurant with friends. He said he would re-live the memories that made him fall in love with cricket in the first place.
“Instead, I think I will re-live some of the old memories, some of the old highlights of Bangladesh cricket. I will watch the Cardiff win in Australia again. I think I will watch Ashraful's innings again. And I think I will also re-watch some of our other great wins, our special moments.
There was something very special about his old innings and this new generation that is now growing up to admire Bangladesh cricket.
In 2005, Mohammad Ashraful's brilliant century in the famous 'Cardiff chase' saw Bangladesh register one of their most famous wins. Twenty-plus years later, Mohammad Ashraful has become a coach in the Bangladesh setup while Tanzid has become the next in line to script centuries against Australia.
From Cardiff to Darwin: A New Generation Takes Over
Senior Bangladesh journalist Shanto Mahmud feels the Darwin win was historic.
“There's no other word for it except the greatest Test win in Bangladesh's history. He also felt that the game had everything to do with the kind of moment in which the win had been delivered.
“Some victories are so special that you forget how you are supposed to celebrate. You sing, you run, you throw your hands in the air, do whatever your heart tells you.
While Bangladesh has already notched up famous victories overseas, including the historic Test win in Mount Maunganui against New Zealand in 2022, Australia was always going to be a step up.
Sri Lanka have yet to register a Test win in Australia, while Pakistan's last win on these shores came in 1995. Bangladesh has joined the elite list of teams to have beaten Australia in the 'land down under'.
Senior journalist Ariful Islam Roney felt that this win has come at a historic moment for Bangladesh cricket.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the best win in the history of Bangladeshi cricket.
Cricket had always been more than just a game for the people of Bangladesh. It is their most cherished source of happiness, and a much-needed distraction from their burdens.
“Cricket has always been the biggest source of laughter and joy for the people. Despite all this, people will smile at this win, and forget all the problems of life, at least for a while.”
That is the beauty of a victory on such an away pitch. For a small moment, Darwin belonged to Bangladesh. The victory had everything to do with what happened on the field. But there were several contributions that the fans back home will never see on the match scorecard.
Taskin Ahmed declined his Lanka Premier League contract so he could represent Bangladesh despite limited bowling options. Hasan Mahmud, too, left the LPL franchise early to return home as the team needed him.
Ebadot Hossain was in Italy with his wife, about to become a father, when Bangladesh requested him to come back. He canceled his paternity leave to return to the team. None of these contributions will find their way on the scorecard. Not because these sacrifices were unimportant, but because Bangladesh made history, and this win was far more than just a game.
This was their first-ever Test match in Australia in 23 years, and they made the most out of it.
The new generation of Bangladesh supporters is sure to remember this win, if only for its historical context. But for those who lived through it, the reality is far more nuanced.
Bangladesh cannot afford to bask in the glory for too long. Australia can fight back next week in Mackay, and the next Test match is sure to be the real test.
Just one victory, however big, is not going to transform Bangladesh into a Test cricket powerhouse overnight. Still, the psychological barrier has been broken.
Bangladesh knows they are capable of winning in Australia now. It will only be a matter of time before they return here, and they mustn't have to wait another 25 years.
Regular visits to Australia will give the younger players a chance to get familiar with Australian conditions. It will benefit not only their skills but also their psyche as they become more accustomed to playing in these conditions. This is the real legacy of Darwin.
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Raiyan Ferdous, one of the voices representing young Bangladesh fans, put it best. “To come back from that and make such a statement in the cricketing world is just a surreal feeling, not just for me or the Bangladeshi fans, but, I would say, for cricket fans all over the world.”
For the older generation, who fell in love with the game as Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, and Mashrafe Mortaza were rising to fame, Darwin is just another chapter in Bangladeshi cricket history. For the younger fans, however, it is the dawn of a new era.
This is the moment for them to make history. Australia is not as big and daunting as it used to be. Bangladesh arrived in Darwin filled with misgivings after a disastrous tour. The players left the city with a piece of history and the knowledge that they are capable of doing it all over again.