Bangladesh coach warns of fierce Australia response in second Test

Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons has warned his team to expect a fierce response from Australia in the second Test, which begins in Mackay on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The warning comes after Bangladesh secured a historic nine-wicket victory in the series opener in Darwin, marking their first-ever Test win on Australian soil. The win, achieved from August 13 to 16, 2026, has been dubbed the "Darwin Disaster" in Australian media, and Simmons stressed that his side cannot afford complacency against the World Test Championship leaders.

"The only thing I had to say to them and I will repeat it anyway is that Australia is going to come harder," Simmons said on Friday. "We have to either keep that level of performance or get a little bit better. Even if we have to get 1 percent better in some areas, then we will have to make sure that that's there. But we know that they are going to change their game. They are going to come harder at us."

The victory in Darwin was a monumental result for Bangladesh, especially after they had endured a difficult warmup period, including a heavy defeat in a three-day match against an Australia XI on August 8. Simmons highlighted that the team's work ethic...