A statistical look at extraordinary achievements of Pakistani batsmen against Australia
It is extremely rare that Pakistan plays a Test series and comes out of it with its batsmen breaking records for fun. The Pakistani batsmen have played so well in this series against Australia and have broken so many records that one wonders what woke up these sleeping giants.
I believe that in this series we have seen the best performance by Pakistani batsmen ever in a Test series, at least in my lifetime.
And I am not buying any excuses regarding flat pitches because these are the same decks where the Australian batsmen have fallen like nine pins. Besides a David Warner century in the first Test and a Mitchell Marsh 87 in the second, the Aussies have had no answer to Pakistan's pace, reverse swing, and spin.
So many records have tumbled in this series that it’s become hard to keep a tab on all of them. Here is what the Pakistani batsmen have achieved in the two Tests against Australia.
1. Most Test centuries by a Pakistani batsman
The record was held by Inzamam-ul-Haq with 25 centuries. Younis Khan started this Test series with 24 hundreds, equal with Mohammad Yousuf and one behind Inzamam, and ended it with 27 centuries.
2. Century in both Innings of a Test v Australia
Glen Turner scored 101 and 110* in both innings of a Test against Australia in 1974. Since then, Australia have played 425 Tests; no one ever achieved the feat of twin centuries against them.
This Test series witnessed three Pakistani batsmen score centuries in both innings of a Test. Younis Khan did it in the first Test with 106 and 103*, while Azhar Ali (109 and 100*) and Misbah Ul Haq (101 and 101*) did it in the second Test.
Something that was not managed over 40 years and 425 Tests was achieved by 3 Pakistanis in just 10 days and 2 Tests.
3. Three consecutive Test centuries v Australia
It was in December–January 1924/25 when Herbert Sutcliffe scored 115, 176, and 127 in three consecutive innings against Australia. No one managed that feat for another 90 years till the Australians came up against Younis Khan in the UAE. With scores of 106, 103*, and 213, Younis became only the second batsman to score three consecutive centuries against Australia in Tests.
You can look at that another way: Younis is the only batsman in the world to score 2 centuries and 1 double century in 3 consecutive Test innings against Australia. Additionally, Younis Khan's 422 runs in 3 consecutive innings is the highest aggregate for any batsman against Australia in 3 consecutive Test innings, beating Sutcliffe's 418 scored 90 years ago.
4. Highest aggregate in a 2-Test series v Australia
Sachin Tendulkar scored 403 runs in 4 innings in India's 2-Test series against Australia in 2010-11, the highest aggregate in a 2-Test series against Australia. Younis Khan aggregated 468 runs in his 4 innings in this series against Australia, taking the record away from the Indian cricketing legend.
Just for the record, the highest aggregate in a 3-Test series against Australia is also held by a Pakistani - Salim Malik, who scored 557 runs in 6 innings in the series in 1994-95. Interestingly, that was the last time Pakistan beat Australia in a Test series.
5. Highest aggregate by a Pakistan batsman in a 2-Test series
Javed Miandad held the record for the highest aggregate by a Pakistani batsman in a 2-Test series. He had scored 389 runs in only 2 innings, including a cracking 271, against New Zealand in 1988-89.
Younis Khan now holds that record with his record run spree against Australia.
6. Fastest 50 in Test matches
Jacques Kallis held the world record with a fifty off only 24 deliveries against Zimbabwe in 2004-05. The Pakistani record was held by Shahid Afridi who had managed it in 26 deliveries against India, also in 2004-05.
Misbah broke the world and Pakistani records by getting his fifty off only 21 deliveries against Australia in the second Test of the series.
7. Fastest century in Test matches
Sir Vivian Richards was the owner of the record for the fastest 100 in Test matches. He had reached his 100 off only 56 deliveries against England in the summer of 1986. For 28 years, he was the sole owner of the record. However, now, Sir Viv shares the record with Misbah, who smashed a 100 off 56 deliveries against Australia in the second Test of the series.
Sir Viv's innings was 110* off 58 deliveries with 7 sixes and 7 fours, while Misbah's was 101* off 57 deliveries with 5 sixes and 11 fours.
8. Centuries against all Test playing nations
Prior to this series between Pakistan and Australia, there were 11 batsmen who had scored centuries against all the other 9 Test playing nations, but none of them were from Pakistan. Younis Khan became the first batsman from Pakistan to join that esteemed club of centurions.
9. Pakistan's highest scorer in Test wins away from home
Inzamam, with 2,707 runs, was Pakistan’s highest scorer in Test wins away from home before this series against Australia. After the first Test that Pakistan won, Younis went past Inzamam's tally and is now the nation’s leading run-scorer in Test wins away from home with 2,847 runs.
If Pakistan wins the second Test against Australia, which looks likely by tomorrow, Younis Khan will extend that runs tally to 3,106. That will leave only Ricky Ponting ahead of him in the list of highest run scorers in Test wins away from home.
10. Average of 50 in each of the 4 Innings of a Test
Sir Don Bradman and Herbert Sutcliffe were the only batsmen in the world who boasted an average of 50 or more in each of the 4 innings of a Test match (with a minimum of 10 knocks in each innings).
With his exploits in this series against Australia, Younis Khan now ranks alongside the two greats and averages over 50 in each of the 4 innings of tests.
11. Century in both Innings of a Test by two batsmen
This feat was achieved only once ever before: Ian Chappell and Greg Chappell scored centuries in both innings of the Test between Australia and New Zealand in 1974.
Today, Misbah and Azhar joined them and became the second pair of batsmen in the world to score centuries in both innings of the same Test.
I am sure there are a few more records that I missed out on, but these are 11 grandiose facts regarding batsmen from a team that is not known for its batting. It is a team that has historically perished in front of quality bowling and a team that has often collapsed for no good reason. Yet here they are, scoring heaps of runs against the world's number 2 Test team and arguably the best bowling attack in the world.
Another interesting fact is that five Pakistani batsmen – Younis Khan, Misbah Ul Haq, Azhar Ali, Ahmed Shehzad, and Sarfaraz Ahmed – scored 9 centuries against Australia in the two Tests. All of them scored their first ever Test century against Australia in this series.
Those are some amazing achievements by Pakistani batsmen. They look even greater when one hears the names of batsmen whose records were broken or equalled by these Pakistani batsmen. Bradman, Herbert Sutcliffe, Chappell brothers, Turner, Sir Viv, Miandad, Inzamam, Tendulkar, Kallis, Yousuf, Steve Waugh, Lara, Sangakkara, Ponting and Dravid were all bettered or equalled by the Pakistani batsmen during the course of this Test series against Australia