Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood claimed his 300th Test wicket on August 15, 2026, reaching the milestone against Bangladesh in Darwin. The 35-year-old became the ninth Australian man to achieve the feat, joining an exclusive attack alongside Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc.
Milestone in Darwin and Elite Company
Josh Hazlewood reached his 300th Test wicket on the third day of the first Test match at Marrara Stadium in Darwin. The 35-year-old pacer secured the landmark dismissal when he had Mehidy Hasan Miraz caught behind by wicketkeeper Alex Carey during the 26th over of the innings.
The achievement places Hazlewood alongside an elite group of Australian bowlers. He joins Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc in the nation’s 300-wicket club. According to reporting from The News Mill, this milestone makes the current Australian Test bowling attack the first in cricket history to feature four players who have each claimed at least 300 Test wickets.
Overcoming Injury and Earning Selection
Hazlewood began the Test match just five wickets away from the 300 mark, having featured in only six of Australia’s prior 14 Tests and missing the entire preceding 12 months due to an injury-disrupted period.
Competition for spots in the Australian pace attack was fierce, with Scott Boland also in contention for the opening Test lineup. When given the nod, Hazlewood delivered a match-shaping spell on a surface where fellow Australian bowlers struggled to make regular breakthroughs, according to IANS LIVE.
Teammate Tributes and Technical Praise
Following his milestone performance, Hazlewood received praise from fellow players and team leadership regarding his physical attributes, precision, and work ethic.
“He’s got all the attributes all fast bowlers would love to have, like he’s 6 foot 5 or 6, can bowl 140km/h, puts the ball on a 10 cent piece, can move the ball both ways, like he can, you know, as a bowler you sort of look at him and go, ‘Jeez I’d like to have some of that.”
Travis Head emphasized the understated nature of Hazlewood’s contribution to the squad over his career.
“He’s quiet about his work. He’s a quiet achiever and goes about his work and he just gels in so well, doesn’t he? Goes about it. He’s just relentless always. He’s had some great results and I’m sure the summer will be the same.”
Photo: IANS LIVE
Captain Pat Cummins noted how Hazlewood’s bowling has evolved beyond simply hitting a good length.
“The boring stuff that everyone always, you know, says is he hits a really good area, time and time again he’s got bounce, I mean that’s one asset that I think is obvious, but I think, you know, he’s changed the way he’s bowled a little bit, he’s now got, you know, a wobble seam he uses quite a bit, he’s really good with reverse swing, you know, when we play overseas he finds a way to take wickets in pretty much whatever conditions, so he’s probably a bit more adaptable than he gets credit for and again for a big guy he can bowl 20 overs in a day no worries, which is rare in world cricket when you look around. And he’s been doing it for over a decade now.”
Match Context and Innings Figures
Hazlewood finished the Bangladesh first innings with six wickets after claiming his 14th career five-wicket haul. He removed Mehidy Hasan Miraz and subsequently dismissed Ebadot Hossain to secure his final figures, The News Mill reported.
Match Winning Spell ☄️ Josh Hazlewood 5 Wicket Haul | West Indies v Australia 1st Test
Despite Hazlewood’s efforts—which included taking all four wickets that fell after lunch on the third day—Bangladesh reached 426 in their first innings. The touring side established a 228-run lead over Australia, aided by a maiden Test century from Tanzid Hasan and half-centuries from captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy Hasan, according to the same report.
