Abdullah Shafique Enters Record Books After Pakistan’s 1st Test Win Vs Sri Lanka – Statistical Highlights

Riding on Abdullah Shafique’s unbeaten 160, Pakistan recorded their successful run chase in Test cricket history against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Syed Pervez Qaiser

Updated on: 20 July 2022 3:13 pm

Abdullah Shafique celebrates after completing his century against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Pakistan recorded their second highest successful chase in Test cricket by scoring 344/6 in 127.2 overs on the fifth and final day of the first Test at Galle on Wednesday. It is also the second highest target chased by any team against Sri Lanka. (More Cricket News)

The highest for both is 382/3 in 103.1, which Pakistan chased down in Pallekele in July 2015. Pakistan’s total of 382/3 in 103.1 overs is the highest successful chase by any team in Galle.

The previous highest was 268 for four in 86.1 by Sri Lanka against New Zealand in August 2019, while the previous highest for a visiting side was 164 for four in 43.3 by England in January 2021. Pakistan's chase in Galle is also the fourth-highest successful chase in Tests in Sri Lanka.

Abdullah Shafique batted for 524 minutes for his unbeaten 160, the longest innings a player has batted during a successful chase in Tests. The previous longest innings was 460 minutes by Aravinda de Silva during his unbeaten 143 against Zimbabwe in January 1998.

Abdullah Shafique’s 524-minute effort is also the third longest by any batter in the fourth innings of a Test. He is only the fifth batter to face 400-plus balls in the fourth innings of a Test. His 408 balls are also the second most faced in a successful chase, behind England’s Herbert Sutcliffe, who faced 462 deliveries for his 135 against Australia at Melbourne in 1928-29.

Look For the Magic In Every Moment ?? pic.twitter.com/5QcD4ZjIFy
— Abdullah Shafique (@imabd28) July 20, 2022

Abdullah Shafique's unbeaten 160 is now the third-highest individual score for Pakistan in the fourth innings of a Test. Babar Azam scored 196 against Australia in March this year in Karachi, while Younis Khan’s unbeaten 171 against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in July 2015 coming next.

Abdullah Shafique made 720 runs in his first six Test matches. Only three batters scored more runs than him in their first six matches: India’s Sunil Gavaskar (912), Australian Don Bradman (862) and West Indies’ George Headley (730).

Prabath Jayasuriya took 21 wickets after two Tests. Only India’s Narendra Hirwani (24) and England’s Alec Bedser (22) took more wickets than Prabath Jayasuriya in their first two matches, while Bob Massie also had 21 wickets.

Prabath Jayasuriya also became only the third bowler to claim five-fers in his first three Test innings, after England’s Tom Richardson and Australian Clarrie Grimmett.