Bangladesh very much unbeatable at home: Shakib

As Bangladesh prepare to upset Australia in the two-Test series beginning Sunday, all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan believes that his team are very much "unbeatable" at home.

Australia have not won a series in the subcontinent since 2011 and were clean-swept in two of the three Test series' since then. In the last series against India, the Steve Smith-led side had to face a 1-2 defeat in the four-Test series.

Australia has won all four Tests they have played against Bangladesh, but the teams haven't met in the five-day format since 2006.

Bangladesh have not played a single Test match against Australia since Ricky Ponting's side toured the country in 2006, six years after they were granted Test status.

"We knew that we have this ability, and we needed that belief, and we can only get this belief by winning matches," the Guardian quoted Shakib as saying.

"But there is no shortage of self-belief at this moment. Now we feel that we are very much unbeatable at home - doesn't matter who we are playing against. So this is the belief that makes a team a very good team, and a winning team," he added.

It should be noted that Bangladesh have not played a single Test against Australia during Shakib's entire career, making this impending series all the more significant.

"None of our team members in this squad played Tests against Australia, so it will be very exciting," said the left-arm all-rounder.

Bangladesh, which had a notorious run of 71 defeats in 72 internationals from 1999 to 2004, have transformed into a team capable of surprising many and causing upsets.

In the last one year, the Asian minnows have reached the Champions Trophy semi-finals, cementing their ODI ranking of seventh, and defeated England at home in a Test and Sri Lanka away - where their 1-1 series draw bodes ill for Australia, who lost 0-3 in Sri Lanka in 2016.

The second Test will start in Chittagong on September 4 and the Austr alians depart Bangladesh on September 9. 

-ANI