Australia mounted a powerful comeback in the two-match Test series against Bangladesh by securing a dominant victory in Mackay. The hosts wrapped up the second Test match within just two days, defeating Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs. With this emphatic win, Australia leveled the series 1-1 and solidified their position at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) points table. On the other hand, despite suffering a heavy defeat and experiencing a drop in their win percentage, Bangladesh have managed to remain ahead of India in the WTC standings for now.
Australia Consolidates Top Spot with Mackay Victory
The opening Test of the series saw a surprising result when Bangladesh defeated Australia, dropping Pat Cummins' side to a WTC win percentage of 77.78 percent. However, the Australian side made a forceful recovery in Mackay. By completing the second Test inside two full days, Australia boosted their WTC win percentage up to 80.00 percent. This triumph ensures that Australia maintain their firm hold on the number one position in the current WTC standings.
Bangladesh Drop Percentage Points but Remain Ahead of India
Before the second Test began, Bangladesh had made a massive jump in the WTC points table following their historical victory in the series opener. Their win percentage had surged to 66.67 percent, allowing them to overtake India and sit in fifth place. Following the defeat in Mackay, Bangladesh's win percentage dropped down to 55.56 percent. Despite this setback, Bangladesh stay ahead of India, whose current win percentage stands at 53.33 percent. However, if India defeat Sri Lanka in their upcoming second Test match, Team India will move past Bangladesh into fourth place on the WTC table.
How the Two-Day Mackay Test Unfolded
The contest in Mackay was controlled by Australian bowlers right from the start. On Day 1, Bangladesh's first innings was dismantled for just 64 runs due to a destructive bowling performance from Mitchell Starc. In reply, Australia built a solid lead despite a commendable bowling effort from Bangladesh's Shoriful Islam. Cameron Green scored a crucial 67 runs to push Australia's total to 210 runs.
Bangladesh's batting struggled again during their second innings, collapsing for a total of 95 runs. Australia sealed the victory shortly after the tea break on Day 2. The fixture stands out as one of the shortest Test matches ever played in Australia.
