Bangladesh produced a remarkable batting display against Australia in the Darwin Test, taking a commanding 228-run first-innings lead despite Josh Hazlewood’s six-wicket haul. Bangladesh were bowled out for 426 after showing tremendous resilience against Australia’s pace attack. Mehidy Hasan Miraz played the starring role in the lower order, frustrating the Australian bowlers for nearly 50 overs and completing his 12th Test half-century. Hazlewood eventually ended Mehidy’s stubborn resistance after lunch on the third day before removing Taijul Islam’s partner, completing six wickets in the innings. His performance also brought a major personal milestone as he became only the ninth Australian bowler to reach 300 Test wickets. The fast bowler also claimed his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Remarkably, all four wickets to fall during the third day belonged to Hazlewood, keeping Australia in the contest despite Bangladesh’s substantial advantage. Mehidy was well supported by Mahmoud, Taijul Islam and Taskin Ahmed as Bangladesh continued to stretch Australia’s bowling attack. The visitors also benefited from Australia’s fielding lapses, with the hosts dropping five catches during the innings. Earlier, Bangladesh had built a strong platform through Tanzid Hasan’s maiden Test century and a determined half-century from captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. Australia’s first innings had already ended in disappointment after Hasan Mahmud claimed six wickets, exposing weaknesses in the home side’s batting. Bangladesh’s huge lead now puts Australia under considerable pressure. With their bowlers needing early breakthroughs, the hosts face a demanding task to recover momentum and keep the Darwin Test within reach.

World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz has officially withdrawn from the Cincinnati Masters as he continues to recover from a wrist injury that has kept him off the ATP Tour since April, casting fresh doubt over his participation in this month’s US Open. Tournament organizers confirmed on Tuesday that the Spanish superstar will not defend his Cincinnati title, citing an “ongoing wrist injury.” The ATP Masters 1000 event, scheduled to begin on August 13, is regarded as the final major warm-up tournament before the US Open. Tournament director Bob Moran expressed support for the 23-year-old, saying everyone at Cincinnati hopes to see him back on court soon. “We know Carlos is doing everything he can to get back to playing tournaments as soon as possible. We wish him the best with his recovery and look forward to welcoming him back to Cincinnati in the future,” Moran said in an official statement. The withdrawal has intensified speculation surrounding Alcaraz’s fitness ahead of the US Open, which begins on August 30 in New York. As the defending champion, his absence from Cincinnati leaves him with little opportunity to regain competitive rhythm before the year’s final Grand Slam. Alcaraz has not played a competitive match since suffering a wrist injury during the opening round of the Barcelona Open in April. Since then, he has withdrawn from several high-profile tournaments, including the Madrid Open, Italian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and now Cincinnati. When announcing his decision to miss Roland Garros earlier this year, Alcaraz described it as “the most prudent” choice after discussions with his team. Although his rehabilitation has reportedly progressed well, the Spaniard has repeatedly stressed that he would only return when fully fit. His absence from Wimbledon proved particularly significant, as world No. 1 Jannik Sinner successfully defended his title by defeating Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the final. Despite his lengthy spell on the sidelines, Alcaraz enjoyed a remarkable start to 2026. He completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open in January, becoming the youngest men’s player to achieve the feat. He followed that historic triumph with another title in Doha in February, taking his Grand Slam tally to seven. With the countdown to Flushing Meadows underway, tennis fans will now be anxiously waiting for an official update on whether one of the sport’s biggest stars will be fit in time to defend his US Open crown.