Steve Smith calls Bangladesh's Darwin Test win 'a bit of a blip' as Australia vow to bounce back

Bangladesh defeated Australia by 9 wickets in the first Test at Darwin, concluding on August 16, 2026, to record their first-ever Test victory on Australian soil. It was also Bangladesh's second Test win over Australia in history, following their maiden victory in Dhaka in 2017.

Australia were bowled out for 198 and 284 across their two innings, while Bangladesh posted 426 in their first innings and then chased down the target of 57 for the loss of just one wicket. Hasan Mahmud was named Player of the Match after taking 6/55 and 3/56 across the two innings. Steve Smith also offered credit to Bangladesh for their performance across the four days.

"We're the number one team for a reason. We've played really good, consistent cricket over a long period of time. And yeah, this week was a bit of a blip. And, you know, we got outplayed. They played really nicely. So you've got to give credit to Bangladesh. Um, we could have done things a lot better. But yeah, credit goes to them for the way they played throughout these last four days." Smith said on ABC Sport.

How did Bangladesh outplay Australia in Darwin?

Bangladesh's bowling discipline on the opening morning set the tone for the match. Australia's batters were unable to build partnerships in their first innings, which ended at 198, a total that left them well short of Bangladesh's eventual first-innings reply of 426. Smith reflected on where Australia fell short. In Australia's second innings, Cameron Green scored an unbeaten century but lacked batting partners to build a total that could challenge Bangladesh. Smith noted the shortfall.

"I thought Bangladesh bowled really well the first morning. Really disciplined, our batters probably weren't disciplined enough. Second innings they batted really nicely. Got too many in front and, uh, we weren't able to catch it up yesterday on, you know, a good wicket to bat on. A couple of us got starts and didn't go on with that," said Smith.

What does Bangladesh's win mean historically and what comes next?

Bangladesh became the second-quickest visiting team in cricket history to win a Test in Australia, achieving the feat in only their third attempt on Australian soil. Their previous two Tests in Australia had not produced a victory, making this result a significant milestone for Bangladesh cricket.

The win in Darwin is Bangladesh's second Test victory over Australia overall. Their first came in Dhaka in 2017, meaning nearly a decade passed between the two results. Winning away from home in Australia, however, carries a different weight given the conditions and the hosts' record at home.

The two-match series continues with the second Test scheduled for August 22-26 in Mackay. Australia will look to level the series, while Bangladesh will aim to build on a result that has already made cricket history.