5 lowest totals in Test cricket this decade
We are about to enter the year 2020 and can safely say that Test cricket is alive and kicking. There has been no dearth of thrills and spills. The decade saw Test cricket welcome two new teams- Afghanistan and Ireland. However, not many of the avid fans welcomed the initiative of players sporting numbers on the back of the jerseys in red-ball cricket.
Thank the almighty for the toss still being a part of the tradition. Touring sides mostly faced the flak as the subject of 'home advantage' seemed hard to shrug off. But there have been some historic turnarounds as well, where the hosts were humbled. Irrespective of that, the game of cricket witnessed many highs and lows in terms of performances. In this article, we take a look at the 5 lowest totals in Test cricket this decade.
Pakistan (49) v South Africa, 2013
In Graeme Smith’s 100th Test match as captain, the visitors’ bowling unit came together in Johannesburg to wrap up the Proteas’ star-studded batting line up for 253. But it was preceded by a stunning display of fast bowling from Dale Steyn, who jagged the ball to his advantage to floor Pakistan for 49.
There was no respite for the Asian side as Steyn scalped figures of 6/8. A solid hundred by AB de Villiers in the second innings saw South Africa declare on 275/3, meaning that Misbah-ul-Haq’s men were left to chase a daunting target of 480. The skipper, in the company of Asad Shafiq, provided some fight but it was too little too late as the home side scripted a 211-run victory to take a 1-0 lead in the series. This was Pakistan’s lowest total in whites.