Hasan Mahmud’s Six-Wicket Storm Sends Australia Crashing to Historic Low

Bangladesh were bowled out for 54 before the Test series began. On Thursday, they bowled Australia out for 198.

If anyone needed a reminder of how quickly cricket can turn reputations, predictions and form upside down, Hasan Mahmud provided it in Darwin. Playing their first Test on Australian soil in 23 years, Bangladesh produced one of their finest days of fast bowling as Mahmud tore through the hosts with 6/55, sending Australia to their lowest Test total against Bangladesh. Reuters reported that the visitors' depleted pace attack had Australia wobbling at 74/4 by lunch before completing the demolition later in the day.

And this wasn't an Australian side stumbling into the series without form or firepower. Australia began the series comfortably on top of the World Test Championship standings, while Pat Cummins' side had its celebrated bowling quartet of Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon available together for the first time in more than a year. Bangladesh, meanwhile, had endured that embarrassing 54 all out against a Cricket Australia XI in their warm-up match. Then came Hasan.

Hasan turns Darwin into Bangladesh's day

Australia initially appeared to have settled into the contest as Travis Head and Jake Weatherald put together 45 for the opening wicket. The comfort didn't last.

Bangladesh ripped through the top order, reducing Australia to 74/4 by lunch. Reuters described it as a routing of the Australian top order by a Bangladesh attack that had arrived depleted.

The former Australian captain made 71 from 109 balls, attempting to drag the innings towards respectability as wickets continued falling around him. By tea, Australia were 183/8, with Bangladesh having taken four wickets in each of the first two sessions. They added only 15 more. Australia was bowled out for 198. And Mahmud's tally read 6/55.

How historic was Hasan Mahmud's spell?

Historic enough to rewrite Bangladesh's record books. Hasan's 6/55 surpassed Mohammad Rafique's 5/62 at Fatullah in 2006 as the best Test figures by a Bangladeshi bowler against Australia. He also became the first Bangladesh bowler to take a Test five-wicket haul against Australia on Australian soil.

The 26-year-old now has three five-wicket hauls in just 15 Tests, adding Australia to a growing collection of impressive performances away from home. And Bangladesh didn't merely dismiss Australia cheaply. At 198, Australia registered their first sub-200 Test total against Bangladesh, falling below their previous low of 217 at Mirpur in 2017.

Hasan owned the day, but Taskin Ahmed had his own piece of history. His 2/55 took him to 300 international wickets, making him only the sixth Bangladesh bowler to reach the landmark. He joins a list headed by Shakib Al Hasan, alongside Mashrafe Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam.

Why does 198 matter beyond the record? Because of what Bangladesh walked into. Reuters noted before the series that another Bangladesh victory over Australia would arguably surpass the famous “Miracle of Mirpur” in 2017, which remains Bangladesh's only Test win over Australia. That upset came at home. This time Bangladesh are playing in Australia, against the team sitting atop the WTC standings.

The setting makes it even more unusual. This is Australia's first winter Test series in more than two decades, with Darwin's Marrara Oval hosting a Test for the first time since 2004. Bangladesh, meanwhile, had not played a Test in Australia since 2003. Twenty-three years later, they returned. And on their first day back, Hasan Mahmud made Australia remember the name.

(With inputs from ANI)