Tanzid Hasan etched his name into the history books by becoming the first Bangladeshi batsman to score a Test century on Australian soil. His stellar knock, coupled with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto's 84, guided the tourists to 351-6 at stumps on day two, a lead of 153 runs over the hosts in the inaugural Test in Darwin.
The day belonged to Tanzid, whose confident 101 runs set the tone. He and Mominul Haque provided a solid start, taking Bangladesh to 138-2 before Mominul fell for 49. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto then accelerated the scoring, but with the second new ball, the visitors lost three crucial wickets, including Najmul, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Litton Das.
However, the resilience of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Hasan Mahmud in the final session helped Bangladesh surpass the 150-run lead mark. Mehidy, unbeaten on 32, benefited from a dropped catch by Cameron Green off the last ball of the day.
After the day's play, Australia's debutant opener Jake Weatherald conceded: “They played really well. We missed a few chances, but they deserve credit. The pitch has changed from the first innings, and we’re keen to get out there – it’s a good batting surface.”
Tanzid, playing only his second Test match, capitalized on the perfect conditions in the Northern Territory capital to achieve his milestone. He survived a scare when dropped on 62 before reaching his hundred with a drive through mid-off. He also struck eight fours and a massive six before his dismissal.
With a 153-run lead and four wickets in hand, Bangladesh are in a strong position to record their first Test victory over Australia on foreign soil in their third attempt. Earlier, they had surprised the hosts by bowling them out for just 198 in the first innings, with Hasan Mahmud starring with the ball.
