Zillar Barta Desk,Dhaka : Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud believes his team has reached a stage where it can set its sights on much bigger goals in Test cricket, including a potential place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Bangladesh's recent progress in the longest format has given the team renewed confidence. The side currently sits fourth in the WTC standings after a memorable nine-wicket victory over Australia in Darwin in August. For Hasan, that result was more than just another Test win—it was evidence that Bangladesh's Test cricket is moving in a new direction.
"The momentum is coming towards us, definitely," Hasan said in an interview with AFP. He added that the atmosphere around the Bangladesh team now suggests it can compete with greater authority in Test cricket. "We haven't dominated. Now is the time," the fast bowler said.
The victory in Darwin was particularly significant because it was Bangladesh's first Test win on Australian soil. Hasan played a central role in the historic result, producing a career-best spell of 6-55 in the first innings. He followed that with another three wickets in the second innings, helping Bangladesh complete a nine-wicket victory.
Bangladesh's achievement was built on contributions across departments. Hasan's pace attack put Australia under immediate pressure, while the batting unit took advantage of the opportunity to establish a commanding position. The result demonstrated that Bangladesh could perform successfully outside familiar home conditions.
For Hasan, the team's current position creates an opportunity to dream bigger. Bangladesh have six Tests remaining in the current WTC cycle, including home series against the West Indies and England before a challenging tour of South Africa. The fast bowler believes strong results in those matches could put Bangladesh in contention for a place in the championship final.
"If we win four matches at home, why shouldn't we play in the World Test Championship final? That's the dream for Bangladesh now," Hasan said.
The comments reflect the growing confidence within Bangladesh's Test setup. The team has won six of its last 13 Tests, a run that has helped transform the perception of Bangladesh as a Test side. Hasan believes the recent results can provide the foundation for an even stronger future.
The 26-year-old fast bowler has also emerged as an important part of Bangladesh's pace attack since making his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2024. He has taken 45 wickets in 16 Tests, including three five-wicket hauls, according to the latest reports.
One of Hasan's most important contributions came against Australia in Darwin. His 6-55 was the third-best innings bowling performance by a Bangladesh fast bowler in Test cricket and the first five-wicket haul by a Bangladesh bowler in a Test in Australia. The performance helped Bangladesh dismiss Australia for 198.
Hasan's approach has been built around aggression and maintaining pressure. Speaking about his bowling during the Australia series, he explained that he focused on making scoring difficult for the opposition and attacking with the short ball when required.
His performances have also contributed to a broader change in how Bangladesh's fast bowlers are viewed internationally. Hasan believes the country's pace resources are increasingly being recognised as capable of competing at the highest level.
"Since we started playing, the thinking has changed," he said, pointing to the growing recognition that Bangladesh can produce fast bowlers capable of performing on the international stage.
Hasan's development has also been supported by exposure to overseas cricket. Earlier this year, he joined English county side Kent for a series of County Championship matches. Kent described his signing as an opportunity to add international pace to its bowling attack, while Hasan said playing county cricket was a long-held ambition.
Despite the historic victory in Darwin, Bangladesh could not complete a series victory against Australia. Australia responded in the second Test in Mackay with an innings-and-51-run win, ensuring the two-match series ended level. The defeat, however, did not erase the significance of Bangladesh's first Test victory in Australia.
Hasan remains optimistic that Bangladesh's progress will continue. He believes the next stage will depend on maintaining the fitness of the fast bowlers while ensuring the batting unit remains consistent.
"If the fast bowlers stay in good shape and the batsmen remain in form, then we will go to a higher level," he said.
With six WTC matches still to play, Bangladesh's path to the final remains dependent on results across the remainder of the championship cycle and the performances of other competing teams. Nevertheless, Hasan's comments underline the change in ambition within the Bangladesh camp.
For a team that has spent much of its Test history searching for consistency, the current period represents an opportunity to build on recent breakthroughs. The victory in Darwin, the emergence of a stronger pace attack and improved results have given Bangladesh reasons to aim higher.
Hasan Mahmud's message is therefore clear: Bangladesh no longer wants simply to compete in Test cricket. The team wants to dominate, win consistently and challenge for major honours. Whether that ambition ultimately takes Bangladesh to the World Test Championship final will depend on the results still to come, but the confidence within the squad is clearly growing.
