Can Bangladesh achieve in Mackay what has not happened in 139 years?

Far from a whitewash, Bangladesh winning a Test match in Pakistan would have seemed almost unthinkable to Bangladeshi cricket fans just two years ago.

Yet the extraordinary happened during Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan in August–September 2024.

Bangladesh not only secured their first-ever Test victory over Pakistan but also returned home after whitewashing Pakistan 2–0 in the two-Test series. Pakistan had previously suffered a Test-series whitewash at home only once.

Two years later, another August has brought another extraordinary feat for Bangladesh, this time in Australia. Bangladesh won their first Test in Australia in 23 years.

This victory carries even greater significance than their win over Pakistan two years ago. Australia is the world’s no. 1 Test side, but that is not the only reason.

Following their victory in the first Test against Australia, Bangladesh is now in Mackay, where the second Test of the series will begin on 22 August. If Bangladesh can also win in Mackay, as they did in Darwin, what would that mean?

It would be something no team has achieved in the past 139 years. No one has seen Australia suffer a Test-series whitewash on home land in the last 139 years.

Australia last, and only, experienced such humiliation at their own country in 1887, when England won the two-Test Ashes series 2–0.

Both Tests were played in Sydney. England won the first Test by 13 runs before securing a 71-run victory in the second.

Do you know how many multi-match Test series Australia have played at home since that whitewash? 110.

The latest 13 of those have come over the past 10 years. During this period, Australia have lost only two Test series at home, both against India.

The first came in 2018 and the most recent in 2020. Australia have also failed to win only one other home series during this period.

In 2024, the West Indies drew a two-Test series after Shamar Joseph’s extraordinary bowling helped them win the second Test in Brisbane.

If Bangladesh wins in Mackay as well, a 139-year-old piece of history will return. Even if Bangladesh fails to achieve that, however, it will not diminish their achievement in the slightest.

Bangladesh are already guaranteed not to lose the series. Returning home from Australia without losing the series would, in itself, be a source of considerable pride.