Miraz explains why Bangladesh chose sporting pitches against Australia

Aditya Rao · 15/06/2026 · 3 min read

Bangladesh Secures Historic Series Victory Against Australia

Bangladesh fell just short of a clean sweep against Australia in the third ODI, but the Tigers still walked away with a historic series victory.

Australia secured a dramatic one-wicket win in the final over, denying Bangladesh a 3-0 sweep. Despite the defeat in the final match, Bangladesh won the three-match ODI series 2-1, marking their first-ever bilateral ODI series win over Australia.

The Pitch Decision

One of the major talking points throughout the series was the nature of the pitches. Many expected Bangladesh to prepare spin-friendly surfaces, but instead the hosts opted for sporting wickets that offered something for both batters and bowlers.

Speaking after the series, Bangladesh ODI captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz explained the thinking behind that decision. “The three captains are always in discussion because we have different captains for all three formats,” Miraz said. “We regularly talk about how we can improve Bangladesh cricket and what areas we need to focus on. Since all three of us play across formats, we share ideas and discuss where we can get better.”

“The first thing we wanted was to play on good sporting wickets. Australia came here expecting spin-friendly conditions. In fact, most people thought that would be the case. But we played on true sporting wickets. We trusted our players and backed them to perform in those conditions.”

A Historic Achievement

Miraz described the series victory as one of Bangladesh’s biggest achievements in ODI cricket. “It’s obviously very special,” he said. “We had never won a series against Australia before. The only ODI victory came back in 2005. I remember watching that game when I was very young.”

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“Now we have beaten Australia in a series, which is a huge achievement for Bangladesh. What makes it even more special is hearing Australian players praise our cricketers, our cricket and the wickets. That is a big achievement for us.”

Looking Ahead

The Bangladesh captain believes playing on better surfaces will help the team grow ahead of major tournaments. “Our goal was to play on true sporting wickets against Australia,” Miraz said. “We have some big tournaments coming up, and if we can perform and win matches on good wickets, our confidence will be much higher. Every player in the team has gained confidence from this series. The batters scored runs, the bowlers took wickets. The more we play on these kinds of wickets, the more we will improve as a team.”

Aditya Rao

Aditya Rao is a senior cricket correspondent for Hindustan Times, known for his unflinching deep dives into the corridors of Indian cricket governance and the forgotten tiers of the domestic game. A graduate of Jamia Millia Islamia and a trained investigative journalist, Aditya brings a policy-level rigour rarely seen on the sports pages. His expertise lies in bridging the gap between the Test match purist and the systemic realities of the modern game—covering everything from Ranji Trophy structural reforms to the economics of player development in India’s hinterlands. He has broken several major stories on administrative overhauls and has profiled dozens of unsung players from India’s age‑group pathways. A recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Award and a trusted voice for accountability in sport, Aditya continues to write with a belief that a robust cricketing culture depends as much on sound governance as it does on a solid cover drive.