Bangladesh are on the verge of securing a historic Test win in Australia, but Mehidy Hasan Miraz believes the visitors still have a difficult task ahead. Although Australia are under pressure in Darwin, the Bangladesh all-rounder pointed out that the pitch remains favourable for batting and that his team will need to work hard for every wicket.
Bangladesh earned their strong position through an impressive all-round performance. Hasan Mahmud's six-wicket haul restricted Australia to 198 in the first innings, before Bangladesh responded with 426 to establish a 228-run lead. Tanzid Hasan's century, the first Test hundred by a Bangladeshi batter in Australia, provided the foundation, while Mehidy contributed an important 65 lower down the order.
“Look, the wicket is still good. We are not really thinking that way. We are trying to bowl in good areas because every wicket is going to require hard work. We can see that the wicket is not that easy. The wickets we have taken have come after putting in a lot of effort,” Mehidy said during the post-match press conference.
He added that Bangladesh's immediate focus was to restrict Australia's scoring and pick up three or four more wickets, which could significantly improve their chances of setting a manageable target.
BANGLADESH HAVE AUSTRALIA UNDER PRESSURE
Bangladesh's advantage in Australia's second innings has been built through sustained pressure from their bowling attack. Hasan Mahmud's early breakthroughs, combined with disciplined spells from the rest of the bowlers, prevented Australia from establishing a substantial partnership. Mehidy and Taijul Islam continued to keep the pressure on as the innings progressed.
Australia ended the third day at 161 for four, still 67 runs short of Bangladesh's first-innings total. Mehidy removed Steve Smith for 44, while Taijul dismissed Marnus Labuschagne for 31, leaving the hosts in a difficult position heading into the fourth day.
However, Bangladesh cannot afford to assume that victory is assured. Cameron Green was unbeaten on 43, with Alex Carey on 19, giving Australia a potentially valuable partnership to begin the fourth morning. The hosts must first overcome the 67-run deficit before they can look to establish a target for Bangladesh.
For the visitors, maintaining the same discipline will be crucial. The pitch has not deteriorated significantly, meaning Australia still have an opportunity to fight their way back into the match if Bangladesh's intensity drops.
