In the 145-year old history of Test cricket, there have been a total of 36 instances of a bowler conceding over 200 runs in an innings. The latest instance registered in the ongoing first Test match between Pakistan and England in Rawalpindi is also the first-ever case of a bowler leaking more than 200 runs in a Test innings whilst bowling less than 35 overs.
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In what is an archetype forgettable Test debut for Pakistan spinner Zahid Mahmood, the 34-year old player registering disastrous bowling figures of 33-1-235-4 has seen him entering the record books but not for the right reasons.
34th bowler to enter an infamous club, Mahmood’s economy rate of 7.12 makes him the only bowler to leak runs at more than seven runs per over in this list. All in all, Mahmood is currently on the ninth position in the list of most runs conceded in a Test innings.
Not that he didn’t commit errors as a bowler but Mahmood’s bowling figures across a couple of days primarily boils down to the flatness of the surface at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. With absolutely nothing in it for any type of bowler on the first two days of this match, Mahmood had no option than to bowl almost one-third of the 101 overs that Pakistan bowled in spite of his economy rate.
Another major blot with respect to Mahmood’s Test debut came in the form of England batter Harry Brook (153) hitting him for 27 runs in his 27th over. As a result, the right-arm bowler ended up giving away the joint third-highest number of runs in an over in Test cricket.
Most runs given by a bowler in Test innings
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Team | Opposition | Venue | Year |
| Chuck Fleetwood-Smith | 87 | 11 | 298 | 1 | 3.42 | Australia | England | The Oval | 1938 |
| Rajesh Chauhan | 78 | 8 | 276 | 1 | 3.53 | India | Sri Lanka | R Premdasa Stadium | 1997 |
| Oscar Scott | 80.2 | 13 | 266 | 5 | 3.31 | West Indies | England | Sabina Park | 1930 |
| Khan Mohammad | 54 | 5 | 259 | 0 | 4.79 | Pakistan | West Indies | Sabina Park | 1958 |
| Fazal Mahmood | 85.2 | 20 | 247 | 2 | 2.89 | Pakistan | West Indies | Sabina Park | 1958 |
