Bangladesh completed a stunning nine-wicket victory over Australia in the first Test on Sunday, securing their first win on Australian soil and just their second Test victory over the world’s top-ranked side.
For Australia, the defeat ranks among the most humiliating home reverses in their 149-year Test history, piling pressure on the selectors to make changes ahead of the second Test in Mackay, which begins on Saturday.
Australia had been outplayed from the moment captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat.
After making a vital half-century in the first innings, Mehidy Hasan Miraz took five wickets in the second to restrict the hosts to a lead of just 56 runs. They were eventually bowled out for 284 midway through the afternoon session at Darwin's Marrara Oval.
Even Cameron Green's third Test century, and his first on home soil, was not enough to save the hosts. His composed 104 from 201 balls led the resistance but left the visitors with only a modest target.
There were some early nerves when Josh Hazlewood (1-5) dismissed first-innings centurion Tanzid Hasan for a duck. But Shadman Islam (25 not out) and Mominul Haque (30 not out) held their composure to chase down the target in just 14.2 overs, sparking wild celebrations among the fans seated behind the team's dugout on the boundary.
"This is the biggest win so far for Bangladesh in any format," captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said. "We will do something special in the future."
The victory was celebrated back home, too, with Shanto taking a congratulatory video call from Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the dressing room.
"These are special moments for us, as I believe everyone back home is enjoying our success," Shanto told ESPNcricinfo.
"We get these moments very few times in our life, so we should spend the whole day in celebrating this win."
Their victory came after Australia had managed just 198 in their first innings, with Steve Smith top-scoring with 71, before the pitch flattened and the tourists capitalised, posting 426 to take a commanding 228-run lead.
That advantage ultimately proved too much for the hosts to overcome, as Bangladesh secured a historic second Test victory over Australia, following their maiden win in Dhaka in 2017.
"I think every time there's a game like this, you always look at your match-ups and your make-up with the team for the next one," Cummins said.
"We're pretty good at bouncing back, so no doubt the batters and every group will get together and have a good think about this one and where we can improve."
The two-Test series marks the beginning of a gruelling 12-month schedule, with 20 Tests to come, including tours of South Africa, India and England.
Analysis by Your Site Cricket's Nasser Hussain:
"Incredible scenes. I've never known a Bangladesh-Australia Test match have so many eyes on it from an England point of view, good and bad.
"England aren't even playing at the moment, and it's all about what could have been last winter.
"But we have to say, brilliant from Bangladesh. They had no Nahid Rana, their superstar quick. who was injured before the series, and in their warm-up game they were bowled out for 54.
"A few journalists were writing them off completely. But they played proper Test match cricket. And I think that's what infuriates a few England fans, really.
"The way they went about dismantling that Australian side - and Australia picked their best side. That was their best 11."
Watch the three-Test series between England and Pakistan live on Your Site Cricket from August 19. .
