Steve Smith Andrew McDonald for Australia. Image Credits: AFP
Steve Smith, ace Australian batter, has conceded that the visitors played better cricket than them after Bangladesh achieved a historic first-ever Test win in Australia in Darwin on August 16, 2026. The Bangla Tigers shocked the hosts, winning the game by 9 wickets, thanks to amazing performances by both the batters and bowlers.
Bangladesh started well by bowling out Australia for 198 runs thanks to Hasan Mahmud’s six-wicket haul. In response, Tanzid Tamim led with 101 runs, and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy Hasan Miraz hit brilliant fifties as Bangladesh made 426 runs in their first innings.
In response, Australia managed a better 284 runs in the second innings, with Cameron Green scoring a century and Mehidy Hasan Miraz taking a fiver. However, Bangladesh achieved the 57-run target with ease, winning the game by 9 wickets.
Steve Smith praises Bangladesh for their maiden Test win in Australia and criticizes home batters
Steve Smith claimed in an interview with ABC World Media that the guests totally outperformed them. Steve Smith commended Bangladesh's bowling attack, particularly the pacers, who shocked the Australian batsmen and the international cricket community on the opening day of the match. Additionally, he chastised the batters for their lack of self-control throughout the first inning.
"I thought Bangladesh bowled really well on the first morning; they were very disciplined. The batters probably weren't disciplined enough, and then, yeah, in the second inning they batted really nicely. Got too many in front, and, yeah, we weren't able to catch up yesterday on what was a pretty decent wicket to bat on," Smith said.
Also Read: WTC Table: Bangladesh Dent India's WTC Final Hopes With Historic Win Vs Australia
Smith also brought up the fact that some batters started the game but were unable to turn it into a significant score. Given that the all-rounder had no help, he commended Cameron Green for his valiant century in the second innings. Green scored 104 runs off 201 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and one six.
Cameron Green gets praise from Steve Smith
Speaking about the score, he said that anything over 200 would have been a fine number to be in the game, but that the Bangladeshi bowlers were outstanding up until Day 4 and never offered the hosts an opportunity to rally.
"A couple of us got starts and didn't go on with it. Greeny (Cameron Green), I thought, played really nicely to get a hundred, but, yeah, he didn't have any partners to go with him. Yeah, we needed probably 200 at least plus to be in the game there and, yeah, as I said, got outplayed,” Smith said.
Hope it’s a bad week: Steve Smith
Smith was questioned about whether the Australian team's performance was limited to one poor game and a week or if there were more issues. In response, the former captain says that the team has played solid and consistent cricket for a long time and that they should be back to their best in the second Test. He believes that it's a one-bad-game and one-bad-week issue.
“Yeah, I mean, I hope it's one terrible week. Yes, we are the top 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. Yeah, 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 concluded.
The second Test between Australia and Bangladesh will begin on August 22 at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay.
Also Read: Bangladesh PM Facetimes Najmul Hossain Shanto, Labels Australia Win Bigger Than India's 2007 WC Win
