Highest run chase in Test cricket history: Handy contributions from middle and lower-middle order has placed Sri Lanka on advantage in Galle.
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A century from Dhananjaya De Silva (109), coupled with handy contributions from skipper Dimuth Karunaratne (61) and Ramesh Mendis (45) in the lower-middle order, helped Sri Lanka post 360/8 in their second innings, and thereby hand Pakistan a near improbable target of 508 runs to achieve in mere four sessions of the Test.
At Stumps on Day 4, Pakistan needed another 419 runs for victory with 9 wickets in hand, and the scorecard reading 89/1. Pakistan’s in-form skipper Babar Azam (26*) and left-hander Imam-ul-Haq (46*) were out there in the middle, as bad light made sure that there was an early call for Stumps for the second consecutive day.
While Pakistan did manage to nail the highest successful run-chase at the Galle International Stadium during the first Test, they are highly likely to go for a draw this time around, with the target much more steeper.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will have to sweat it out to breach the Pakistani batters’ defense, and manage to avoid a Test series loss at home.
Highest run chase in Test cricket history
Pakistan will have to do the unprecedented to script history tomorrow at Galle, as the highest successful target which has been chased down in Test match history is 418, by the West Indies versus Australia in the year 2003.
In fact, Pakistan’s highest successful run-chase in Test match history came against Sri Lanka itself in the year 2015, when they chased down the target of 377 in Pallekele.
Top 10 highest run chase in Test matches
| Year | Team | Target | Score | Opposition | Venue |
| 2003 | West Indies | 418 | 418/7 | Australia | Antigua Recreation Ground |
| 2008 | South Africa | 414 | 414/4 | Australia | WACA Ground |
| 1948 | Australia | 404 | 404/3 | England | Headingley |
| 1976 | India | 403 | 406/4 | West Indies | Queen’s Park Oval |
| 2021 | West Indies | 395 | 395/7 | Bangladesh | Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium |
| 2017 | Sri Lanka | 388 | 391/6 | Zimbabwe | R Premadasa Stadium |
| 2008 | India | 387 | 387/4 | England | MA Chidambaram Stadium |
| 2022 | England | 378 | 378/3 | India | Edgbaston |
| 2015 | Pakistan | 377 | 382/3 | Sri Lanka | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium |
| 1999 | Australia | 369 | 369/6 | Pakistan | Bellerive Oval |
