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Bangladesh strengthened their position in the Test against Australia on Saturday after making crucial inroads into the hosts' top order on Day 3, leaving the match finely poised with Australia trailing by 67 runs with six wickets in hand.
With valuable ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 points at stake, Bangladesh will aim to press home their advantage early on Sunday and wrap up the Australian innings. Australia began their second innings 228 runs behind, but Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahmud once again made an early impact. After claiming 6/55 in the first innings, Hasan removed openers Jake Weatherald for a duck and Travis Head for 17 to give Bangladesh a strong start. Marnus Labuschagne, who scored 31, and Steve Smith, who made 44, then steadied the innings and helped Australia recover. However, Bangladesh's spinners Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz broke the partnership by dismissing the two batters. Cameron Green and Alex Carey subsequently held firm to keep Australia in the contest, despite Bangladesh maintaining pressure with disciplined bowling on a good batting surface. Earlier, Bangladesh's lower order frustrated Australia by extending their lead beyond 200 runs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz top-scored with a fighting 65, while the lower order provided valuable runs. Josh Hazlewood was the standout Australian bowler on a difficult day in the field. He dismissed Hasan Mahmud for 14 and went on to claim the remaining Bangladesh wickets, including Miraz, finishing with figures of 6/89. The six-wicket haul also saw Hazlewood enter an elite club as he became only the ninth Australian bowler to reach 300 Test wickets. He joined teammates Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins in the 300-wicket club. Among Australian bowlers to reach the milestone, only Pat Cummins, Glenn McGrath and Dennis Lillee have a better bowling average than Hazlewood's 24.02. (ANI)
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