Bangladesh is closing in on a remarkable Test victory in Australia, but Mehidy Hasan Miraz emphasizes that there is still hard work ahead. Although they have Australia on the ropes in Darwin, the Bangladesh all-rounder insists that each wicket must be earned through consistent and disciplined bowling.
The team has made significant progress thanks to a strong all-around performance. Hasan Mahmud’s six wickets helped bowl Australia out for just 198 in their first innings. In response, Bangladesh surged ahead with a total of 426, establishing a substantial 228-run lead. Tanzid Hasan made history by scoring the first Test century by a Bangladeshi in Australia, and Mehidy contributed an important 65 runs lower down the order.
“The pitch is still good. We’re not overly confident, as every wicket requires hard work,” Mehidy said at a post-match press conference. “We know it’s not going to be easy. The wickets we’ve taken came from a lot of effort. Our goal is to restrict their runs, and if we can take a few more wickets quickly, the target for us won’t be too high either.”
### BANGLADESH HAS AUSTRALIA UNDER PRESSURE
Bangladesh has put Australia under sustained pressure with their bowling. Early breakthroughs from Hasan Mahmud and disciplined spells from the rest of the attack prevented Australia from forming strong partnerships, while Mehidy and Taijul Islam kept the pressure as the innings went on.
At the end of the third day, Australia found themselves at 161 for four, still trailing Bangladesh’s total by 67 runs. Mehidy took out Steve Smith for 44 runs, while Taijul dismissed Marnus Labuschagne for 31, putting Australia in a tough spot heading into the fourth day.
However, Bangladesh cannot take victory for granted just yet. Cameron Green remains not out at 43, while Alex Carey is on 19, creating a potentially significant partnership as the fourth day begins. Australia needs to close the gap before they can think about setting a target for Bangladesh.
For the visitors, the challenge is to keep the same focus that has put them in a strong position. The pitch has not changed drastically, meaning Australia can still fight back if Bangladesh loses their intensity.
