Shoriful took 7 for 48, and Bangladesh still lost by an innings inside two days
Australia levelled the series at Mackay in a Test that did not last two days. Mitchell Starc took 10 for 51, and Bangladesh were bowled out for under 100 in both innings for the first time.
Aug 23, 2026
Australia beat Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs at Mackay on Sunday, in a Test match scheduled for five days that did not last two. Mitchell Starc took 6 for 12 in the first innings and 4 for 39 in the second, and the combined 10 for 51 was the fourth ten-wicket haul of his Test career.
The result levelled the two-match series at 1-1. Bangladesh had won the opening Test in Darwin by nine wickets, their first Test victory in Australia at the third attempt, and they came to the Great Barrier Reef Arena with a chance to win a series there. They lost this one in the middle of the second afternoon.
Bowled out twice for under 100
Bangladesh made 64 in 34 overs on the first morning and 95 in 38.3 overs on the second afternoon. No Bangladesh side had been dismissed for under 100 in both innings of the same Test before.
Pat Cummins won the toss and bowled, and Starc had Shadman Islam caught off the first ball of the match. Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das all went for nought too, all four ducks to Starc, and Bangladesh were 12 for 5 inside seven overs. Shoriful Islam’s 14 from No. 11 was the top score. Mushfiqur Rahim faced 42 balls for 5.
The second innings started the same way. Shadman edged Starc to Marnus Labuschagne at point, Mominul Haque was bowled next ball, and Bangladesh were 5 for 2 in the third over. Shanto counterattacked for 31 with six fours before chipping Nathan Lyon to long-off. Mushfiqur was left unbeaten on 29 when Lyon took the last two wickets three balls after tea.
Shoriful took seven and lost anyway
The strange part of the scorecard belongs to Shoriful. He bowled 15 overs, three of them maidens, and finished with 7 for 48. It was his first five-wicket haul in Tests, it is the best return by a Bangladesh bowler away from home, and no Bangladesh bowler had taken seven in an innings against Australia before. His team lost by an innings.
Australia resumed on the second morning at 165 for 8 and added 45 more. Cameron Green had reached his half-century the previous evening and went on to 67 before a Shoriful yorker trapped him lbw. Lyon took 17 off one Taskin Ahmed over on his way to an unbeaten 32. Australia’s 210 gave them a lead of 146, and it is the fourth-lowest total any side has made while winning a Test by an innings.
Steven Smith’s catch at first slip to remove Taskin was his 219th in Tests, and it drew him level with Joe Root at the top of the list for catches taken by a fielder. Starc held the one that ended the match, Shoriful skying Lyon towards point.
Litton Das did not score a run in the series
Litton made nought in both innings at Mackay. He had also made nought in his only innings in Darwin, so the tour ended with three ducks in three visits to the crease and not a run against his name in the series. In his previous Test he was player of the match, scoring 126 and 69 against Pakistan in Sylhet.
Australia collected 12 World Test Championship points from the win and Bangladesh none, which cancels out the 12 Bangladesh took in Darwin. Starc was named player of the match and player of the series. He finished the tour with 12 wickets and 20 runs.
Mackay was hosting its first Test. It got two days of cricket, 30 wickets, and the second-shortest Test ever completed on Australian soil.