Australia’s left-arm quick tears through Bangladesh’s top order in 22 balls as the visitors record their fourth-lowest Test total, just days after their historic win in Darwin.
Mitchell Starc celebrates after dismantling Bangladesh’s batting during the second Test at Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay. Image Credit: Cricinfo
AUS vs BAN 2nd Test: Mitchell Starc produced a devastating opening spell to bowl Bangladesh out for just 64 on the first afternoon of the second Test at Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
Starc claimed 6/12 from 10 overs, including five wickets in his first 22 deliveries, as Bangladesh lost half their side for only 12 runs. The visitors eventually lasted 34 overs, recording their fourth-lowest total in Test cricket.
The collapse came only days after Bangladesh beat Australia by nine wickets in Darwin to secure their first-ever Test victory on Australian soil. Australia captain Pat Cummins responded to that historic defeat by choosing to bowl first, and Starc justified the decision almost immediately.
Starc’s Devastating Opening Burst
Starc struck with the first ball of the match. Shadman Islam edged the delivery to gully, where Cameron Green completed a low catch.
That wicket was significant for both teams. It was the fourth time Starc had taken a wicket with the opening ball of a Test match, after previously dismissing Dimuth Karunaratne, Rory Burns and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Bangladesh’s second opener, Tanzid Hasan, also fell for a duck after edging Starc to Beau Webster at second slip. Tanzid attempted a shot without sufficient footwork and paid the price against the late movement. This story was also covered by The Cricinfo.
Najmul Hossain Shanto was dismissed the very next ball, trapped lbw by Starc. The Bangladesh captain reviewed the decision, but the technology returned the umpire’s call, leaving the original decision in place.
Mushfiqur Rahim survived the hat-trick delivery, but Bangladesh was already in deep trouble at 2/3.
Starc completed his five-wicket haul when he trapped Litton Das lbw for a duck. The dismissal came one ball after Beau Webster had dropped a straightforward catch in the slips. Starc did not allow the miss to affect him and responded with another full delivery that struck Litton in front.
At 12/5, Bangladesh had reached their lowest total at the fall of their fifth wicket in Test cricket.
Bangladesh’s Top Order Falls Apart
The collapse was not caused by one type of dismissal. Bangladesh’s batters were beaten by pace, late swing, movement away from the bat and the pressure created by wickets at the other end.
Shadman and Tanzid edged deliveries they could have left. Shanto was trapped in front. Litton failed to survive Starc’s full-length attack. The sequence showed how quickly a Test innings can unravel when a new ball is moving and the batters are unable to settle.
Starc’s ability to bowl full while maintaining high pace was central to the destruction. Instead of relying only on short balls, he repeatedly attacked the stumps and forced Bangladesh’s batters to make decisions on every delivery.
The result was one of the most dramatic opening spells of Starc’s Test career.
Lower Order Offers Brief Resistance
Bangladesh were 35/6 at lunch, but their lower order prevented Australia from completing the innings even earlier. Mushfiqur Rahim faced 41 balls before Pat Cummins produced a delivery that burst through the gap between bat and pad.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Hasan Mahmud then showed more resistance. Mehidy became the first Bangladesh batter to reach double figures, but Cummins removed him soon after lunch when he drove away from his body and offered a catch to Webster.
Josh Hazlewood opened his account by dismissing Hasan Mahmud, who had survived 35 balls before flicking a delivery to leg gully. Cummins then removed Taskin Ahmed, who skied the ball to Matt Renshaw at square leg.
Shoriful Islam and Taijul Islam added three fours between them, pushing Bangladesh beyond 43, which had been their previous lowest Test total.
Shoriful eventually became Starc’s sixth wicket, caught behind for 14. He was Bangladesh’s top scorer in the innings, a statistic that underlined the scale of the batting collapse.
Mitchell Starc Surpasses Dale Steyn
Starc’s five-wicket haul also took him past South African fast-bowling great Dale Steyn on the all-time Test wicket list.
His fifth wicket took his career tally to 440 Test wickets, moving him beyond Steyn’s 439 and into outright 10th place among Test cricket’s leading wicket-takers.
Starc reached the landmark in his 107th Test match, with 19 five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket match hauls.
The achievement adds another layer to an already outstanding day. Starc was not merely taking wickets; he was dismantling a batting order and helping Australia recover from their humiliating defeat in Darwin.
His figures of 10-6-12-6 were extraordinary. Six maidens in a 10-over spell show how effectively he combined wicket-taking aggression with control.
Australia’s Response to the Darwin Defeat
Australia entered the Mackay Test under pressure after losing the opening match by nine wickets. Bangladesh had dominated that game with their bat, ball and fielding, securing a historic victory in Darwin.
The second Test therefore carried an important psychological dimension. Australia needed a strong response, while Bangladesh needed to prove that their Darwin win was not an isolated performance.
Cummins’ decision to bowl first was vindicated immediately. Rather than allowing Bangladesh’s batters to settle, Australia’s seamers attacked with intensity from the first ball.
Starc led the charge, but Cummins and Hazlewood also played important supporting roles. Cummins dismissed Mehidy and Taskin, while Hazlewood took Hasan Mahmud.
The Australian bowling unit shared the responsibility effectively. Starc provided the destruction, Cummins attacked the middle and lower order, and Hazlewood maintained pressure with his accuracy.
Key Figures
Statements and Match Context
There were no extended post-innings comments available in the initial reports, but the match situation provided a clear contrast between the two Tests.
Australia’s response was ruthless. After being stunned in Darwin, the hosts produced a fast-bowling performance that placed Bangladesh under pressure before the visitors had scored enough runs to settle.
Bangladesh, who had scored 426 in the first Test and chased 57 to win by nine wickets, were unable to reproduce their batting discipline in Mackay.
The dramatic change highlights the importance of conditions in Test cricket. A batter who succeeds on one pitch may struggle badly when confronted with a faster surface, movement through the air and a fresh red ball.
Bangladesh’s Historic Darwin Victory
Bangladesh arrived in Mackay with confidence after winning the first Test in Darwin by nine wickets. Their victory was their first Test win in Australia and one of the biggest upsets in recent Test cricket.
In that match, Bangladesh scored 426 in their first innings and bowled Australia out for 198. Australia fought back with Cameron Green’s century in the second innings, but Bangladesh needed only 57 to complete the win.
The victory gave Bangladesh a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series and placed Australia under pressure to respond quickly.
Starc’s performance in Mackay is therefore more than a personal milestone. It has changed the momentum of the series in a single session.
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Timeline
Previous Test, Darwin: Bangladesh beat Australia by nine wickets to record their first Test win on Australian soil.
Second Test begins in Mackay: Australia captain Pat Cummins wins the toss and chooses to bowl first.
First ball: Shadman Islam edges Starc to gully; Cameron Green takes the catch.
First seven overs: Starc takes five wickets from 22 balls as Bangladesh fall to 12/5.
Lunch: Bangladesh reaches 35/6, with the lower order preventing an even earlier collapse.
After lunch: Cummins dismisses Mehidy Hasan Miraz; Hazlewood removes Hasan Mahmud; Cummins gets Taskin Ahmed.
Final Bangladesh wicket: Starc dismisses Shoriful Islam for 14, ending the innings at 64.
Starc’s milestone: His fifth wicket takes him to 440 Test wickets, past Dale Steyn’s 439.
End of innings: Bangladesh are bowled out in 34 overs, their fourth-lowest Test total.
Why This Matters
Yeh match kaafi important hai because it has completely changed the momentum of the two-Test series.
Australia responds strongly: After a historic defeat in Darwin, Australia has delivered an immediate and emphatic answer.
Starc enters record books: His sixth wicket took him past Dale Steyn and into the top 10 Test wicket-takers.
Bangladesh face a major setback: Their first-innings total of 64 is a sharp contrast to the 426 they scored in Darwin.
Series remains alive: Bangladesh still leads 1-0, but Australia are now in a commanding position in the second Test.
Red-ball unpredictability: The result shows how quickly Test cricket can shift from an underdog triumph to a dominant response.
For Bangladesh, the immediate challenge is psychological. They must recover from a collapse that destroyed their top order in a single session.
India Angle
Indian fans will recognise the technical problems Bangladesh faced. When the ball moves late in Australia, even experienced batters can struggle if they play away from the body or fail to leave deliveries outside off stump.
Bangladesh’s collapse provides several lessons for Asian teams:
Respect the new-ball movement.
Play late and close to the body.
Avoid loose drives early in the innings.
Do not allow one wicket to trigger panic.
Build partnerships through defensive discipline.
India has traditionally prepared carefully for Australian conditions because of the challenge posed by pace and bounce. The Mackay Test again shows that a strong batting technique is essential, even for teams that have recently enjoyed success against Australia.
Aaj ke match ka biggest lesson simple hai: ek historic win ke baad bhi next Test mein focus aur discipline lose nahi karna chahiye.
Analysis
Starc’s performance was outstanding, but Bangladesh’s shot selection also contributed heavily to the collapse. Several batters edged balls they could have left, while others failed to move their feet against full deliveries.
At 12/5, the match was effectively decided as a contest between Bangladesh’s lower order and Australia’s attack. The final total of 64 was not just the result of an unplayable spell; it was also a failure to absorb pressure.
Australia’s use of the new ball was excellent. Starc attacked the stumps, Cummins maintained pressure and Hazlewood offered accuracy. The bowling unit never gave Bangladesh an easy over.
For Bangladesh, the solution cannot be to simply play more aggressively. They need to become more selective. In these conditions, survival itself can be an attacking skill because it frustrates the bowler and creates scoring opportunities later.
What Next
Australia’s next objective will be to build a large first-innings lead and put Bangladesh under sustained pressure.
Australia’s batting: The hosts will aim to score heavily and prevent Bangladesh from returning to the contest.
Bangladesh’s bowling challenge: Their attack must produce early wickets to avoid allowing Australia to establish a massive lead.
Series equation: Bangladesh still leads 1-0, so Australia needs a victory in Mackay to level the two-Test series.
Starc’s workload: Australia will manage Starc carefully after his intense 10-over spell, even though he has given them the ideal start.
Bangladesh’s response: The visitors will need a far more disciplined effort in their next innings to avoid a heavy defeat.
Conclusion
Mitchell Starc has produced one of the most devastating spells of the 2026 Test season, taking 6/12 as Bangladesh collapsed for 64 in Mackay.
The left-arm quick took five wickets in just 22 balls, moved past Dale Steyn to reach 440 Test wickets and gave Australia the perfect response to their defeat in Darwin.
Bangladesh’s top order failed against pace and late swing, while only Shoriful Islam and Taijul Islam reached double figures. The visitors’ fourth-lowest Test total leaves them in serious danger of a heavy defeat.
Australia has seized control of the second Test, but Bangladesh still leads the series 1-0. Starc ne apna kaam kar diya hai—ab Australia ke batters ko is advantage ko match-winning lead mein badalna hoga.
Written By A. Jack
