Bangladesh Collapse From 426 to 64: Starc's 6/12 Wrecks Top Order

Bangladesh suffered a stunning batting collapse in the second Test against Australia, being bowled out for just 64 after scoring 426 in the opening Test at Darwin. Mitchell Starc produced a devastating spell of fast bowling, taking 6/12 from 10 overs as Bangladesh lost wickets rapidly on Saturday. The visitors slipped to 12/5 and later 39/9 before their last pair managed to add 25 runs.

Starc began the destruction with the very first delivery of the Test and continued to dismantle Bangladesh's top order. His opening spell of 6-1-5-5 left the visitors in serious trouble almost immediately. Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das were all dismissed without scoring, while Mominul Haque contributed nine and Mushfiqur Rahim made five. The top six managed only 14 runs collectively, highlighting the scale of Bangladesh's collapse.

The innings briefly appeared to be heading towards Bangladesh's lowest-ever Test total of 43 when the ninth wicket fell at 39. However, Taijul Islam and Shoriful Islam provided some resistance with a 25-run partnership for the final wicket. Their stand lifted Bangladesh to 64, with Shoriful finishing as the team's highest scorer on 14. The No.11 batter's contribution was particularly unusual, placing him among a small group of players to finish as their team's outright top scorer in a completed Test innings.

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The 64 also became Bangladesh's fourth-lowest total in Test cricket. Their three lower scores came against West Indies in 2018, South Africa in 2022 and Sri Lanka in 2007. More significantly, it was their lowest-ever Test total against Australia, surpassing their previous low of 97 recorded at Darwin in 2003 by 33 runs. The score was also Bangladesh's lowest in a Test match played on Australian soil.

Starc's performance was the defining feature of the innings. The left-arm fast bowler claimed Bangladesh's first five wickets before returning later to dismiss Shoriful and complete his six-wicket haul. His first-ball dismissal also added to his remarkable record, with Starc becoming the bowler with the most occasions of taking a wicket with the opening delivery of a Test match. His figures of 6/12 gave Australia complete control after the visitors' batting order collapsed.

The scale of Bangladesh's reversal was made even more remarkable by their performance just days earlier. They scored 426 in the first innings of the opening Test at Darwin and went on to defeat Australia by nine wickets, recording their first Test victory on Australian soil. Their second Test innings has now produced a 362-run difference between consecutive first-innings totals, dropping from 426 to 64. After their historic victory in Darwin, Bangladesh have suffered one of the most dramatic batting collapses in their Test history.

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