Pakistan highest run chase in Test cricket: Pakistan will have to register their second-best Test run-chase if they are to win the ongoing match.
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It required Pakistan four overs on the morning of Day 4 to pick the last Sri Lankan wicket in the second innings of the first Test match in Galle today. A 100-over Sri Lankan stay in the middle has resulted in Pakistan now chasing a 342-run target to gain a 1-0 lead in this two-match series.
Former Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal missed out on a 14th Test century but an invaluable 94* (139) whilst mostly batting with the lower-order powered his team to 337 after gaining a slender 4-run lead in the first innings.
In the general run of things, Sri Lanka should be able to defend this target for a 300+ run target has never been chased in Galle Test matches. While an 87-run opening partnership between Abdullah Shafique (currently batting) and Imam-ul-Haq (35) emerged as an ideal start for the visitors, them losing Haq and former captain Azhar Ali (6) in the afternoon session has brought back the hosts into the match.
Although captain Babar Azam has started on a positive note at the Galle International Stadium, Pakistan will still have to battle really hard to score the remaining 200+ runs. Considering the behaviour of the pitch, it wouldn’t be surprising if Pakistan lose wickets in clusters at some point in time on Day 4 or 5.
Having said that, batting well in record-breaking Test run-chases is in trend this year. While England’s heroics during their ongoing home summer are for everyone to see, even Pakistan had batted sensationally well against Australia in Karachi earlier this year. Readers must note that the weather has it in it to play spoilsport both today and tomorrow but the prospect of rain forcing a draw remains unlikely.
Pakistan highest run chase in Test cricket (table updated)
| Score | Opposition | Ground | Year |
| 377 | Sri Lanka | Pallekele | 2015 |
| 342 | Sri Lanka | Galle | 2022 |
| 314 | Australia | Karachi | 1994 |
| 302 | Sri Lanka | Sharjah | 2014 |
| 274 | New Zealand | Wellington | 2003 |
It is worth mentioning that the aforementioned Pakistan’s highest successful fourth-innings run-chase in Test cricket is also the second-best run chase in a Test match played in Sri Lanka.
