When Shakib Al Hasan 'Dismantled' Australia and Stole the Show in Mirpur

Aakash Saini

image-llxfsbuvBangladesh players acknowledge historic win over Australia (Twitter)

On this day, six years ago, Bangladesh scripted their greatest moment in Tests. Hosting the visiting Australian troops, Mushfiqur Rahim and co. upstaged their guests by 20 runs, thus registering their first-ever Test win against them.

Veteran Shakib Al Hasan stole the show, and key moments of the game, with his twin five-fers and a clutch 84 in the first Bangladeshi innings. As one can expect, the legendary all-rounder was adjudged as ‘Player of the Match’ for his match-winning efforts.

Bangladesh’s historic Test win completes six years

Shakib Al Hasan’s 84 and Tamim Iqbal’s 71 largely influenced Bangladesh’s 260 in the first innings after deciding to bat first. The hosts succumbed to three-fers from Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon and Ashton Agar all within the opening day of the Test.

Hosts fought back and dusted out the Australians for just 217 in response, with Shakib claiming his maiden five-wicket haul against them.

Securing a handy 43-run first innings lead, Bangladesh stretched the same till 264 to set up an intimidating target on a turning Mirpur wicket.

Chasing 265, Australia launched the day of reckoning comfortably placed at 109-2, with batting legends David Warner and Steve Smith guarding the crease. The two added another 50 runs to the total, thus forming a 130-run rebellious partnership before Warner was trapped in front by Shakib Al Hasan for a quick-fire 112.

What followed thereafter was Bangladesh’s remarkable insurgence as they saw Warner’s timely wicket as an opening to trigger a colossal Australian run-chase collapse. Shakib snared five more wickets in the Test, while Taijul Islam claimed three in the second innings including the match-winning one that kept Australia within mere 20 runs of their target.

Watch: Final thrilling moments from Bangladesh’s historic win

Bangladesh won the Test to mark a historic occasion and went 1-0 up in the two-match series.

To this day, Bangladesh’s remarkable 2017 Mirpur feat remains their only Test win against the Australians, and it was Shakib, who gave Bangladesh their most memorable win in Test history.