Best innings ever in a Test match by a Pakistani batsmen?

[Harsh Thakor]

In my opinion Asif Iqbal's 146 at the Oval in 1967 is still the best innings executed in a test match ever by a Pakistani batsmen even if it was part of a losing cause.Considering the situation he played that knock when Pakistan seemed doomed towards an Innings defeat it was a true masterpiece which would crave out a permanent niche in the annals of cricket history.Asif displayed exhilarating strokeplay with domination at it's supreme zenith.It contained every ingredient of a perfect innings be it power,technical skill,artistry or temperament.Asif gave vibrations of the climax of a Hollywood epic.

Close on it's heels would be Azhar Mahmood's 132 at Durban versus South Africa in 1997,Saed Anwar's 188 at Kolkata in 1999 ,Kamran Akmal's 113 at Karachi in 2006 and Hanif Mohammad's 337 at Barbados in 1957-58.The knocks of Azhar Mehmood and Kamran Akmal literally ressurected Pakistan from the grave to achieve famous victories.Pakistan were precariously placed with more than half the side dismisseed with the score only 39 when Akmal came in to bat.It was almost similar in the case of Azhar South Africa.Inspite of facing a crisis Azhar revealed great attacking flair.Azhar and Akmal created the equivalent of a reversal of plot in a Holywood classic.

This is my list in order of merit.

1.Asif Iqbal's 146 at the Oval in 1967
2.Azhar Mahmood's 132 at Durban in 1997
3.Saed Anwar's 188 at Kolkata in 1999.
4.Kamran Akmal's 113 v India at Karachi in 2006 in the 2nd test
5.Hanif Mohammad's 337 at Barbados in 1957-58
6.Wasim Raja's 117 at Barbados in 1977
7.Younus Khan's 171 n.o at Pallekele v Sri Lanka in 2015
8.Zaheer Abbas's 274 at Edgbaston in 1971
9.Majid Khan's 167 at Georgetown in 1977
10.Asif Iqbal's 152 n.o at Sydney in 1976-77
11.Inzamam Ul Haq's 138 n.o v Bangladesh in 2003
12.Wasim Akram's 257 v Zimbabwe at Sheikupura in 1996
13.Javed Miandad's 135 at Perth in 1978-79
14.Inzamam Ul Haq's 329 v New Zealand in 2002 at Lahore
15.Salim Malik's 237 at Faisalabad v Australia in 1994
16.Salim Malik's 99 at Leeds in 1987
17.Javed Miandad's 102 at Trinidad in 1988
18.Mohsin Khan's 200 at Lords in 1982
19.Zaheer Abbas's 186 v India at Karachi
20.Asif Iqbal's 120 at Sydney in 1976-77
21.Zaheer Abbas's 240 at the Oval in 1974.
22.Asif Iqbal's 135 at Kingston in 1977
23.Mushtaq Muhammad's 201 at Dunedin in 1973
24.Imran Khan's 123 n.o v West Indies at Lahore
25.Wasim Akram's 123 at Adelaide in 1989-90

 

[Mamoon]

Kamran's 113 at Karachi is the best I have seen. 39/6, green top. It doesn't get better than that.

His rearguard century at Mohali to save the match in 2005 is also one of my favorite, perhaps that's why I still have a soft spot for him.

 

[Pete Rose]

I think most memorable one's are already mentioned. I would add two more:
Inzamam's 90 odd against South Africa in Kingsmead 2006 (I think); batted with tail and allowed us to square the series
Mohammad Yousuf's century at Melbourne in 2004. That was a losing cause but considering the circumstances, it was quite a uncharacteristic leading from the front type innings: pakisan had lost the first test at Perth heavily, Inzi withdrew from the Melbourne test last minute, and it was Moyo's first test match as captain, and that too against Australia's first choice attack.

 

[Rayyman]

Best I have seen was Younus Khan's 218 v.s. England.

 

[Obstructing_the_field]

i havent seen many of these innings so i might be a bit biased towards the ones i have ... but all the hate and reservations i have against the akmal brothers (purely due to their immature behaviours, their past performances and their shaddy doings, nothing personal), Kamran's century against India, 39/6, fresh test match, under covers, immense pressure, was one of the best i have ever seen. still remember i just went to open the door for a few friends who were coming over to watch the game and by the time they parked their cars and we came back it was 0/3... and then kamran happened...

Azhars 130 odd against SA in SA, that was brilliant too.. against a much superior bowling attack (compare to Kamran) and in alien conditions, that was abs smashing innings

Younas 171 master class was just superb, not only because he scored those runs himself, he guided the youngster on the other end as well to counter one of the nemisis of pak batting , the gr8 Hearath, just showed how crucial younis khan has been and will be in the success of pak test batting.

Inzi hundered in multan, saved us from an embarassing defeat, not a bad thing to lost but that BD team was , in no way, a team to lose a test match against..

so in that order will b my top 4..

but just looking at the list and thinking with numbers in mind top 4 would be


5.Hanif Mohammad's 337 at Barbados in 1957-58
6.Wasim Raja's 117 at Barbados in 1977
9.Majid Khan's 167 at Georgetown in 1977
25.Wasim Akram's 123 at Adelaide in 1989-90

 

[Zeshan547]

Why hanif muhammad's marathon innings is not the best inning by a pak player, i think it will be in top 3 best ever inning by any batsman let alone a pakistani when it comes to best back to the wall innings ever, and defo best by pakistani, the shear magnitude is mind boggling, what were the odds of him pulling such inning in those conditions, defo less than even lescter city winning the champions league,

 

[Zeshan547]

And 2nd best is kami's hundred in karachi, and third best azhar's hundred in durbin.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Saeed Anwars 118 in Pakistans 2nd inns at durban (2nd test) has to rank up there as one of best ive seen, Against a top quality fast bowling attack in tough conditions. Azhars 132 in same match was a brilliant knock as well.

 

[Mainul]

Why Aamir Sohail 's double century of 1992 England tour in this list?

 

[Aviator]

Sir Younis Khan's knock vs England and Sri Lanka.

 

[abughio]

11.Inzamam Ul Haq's 138 n.o v Bangladesh in 2003

 

[Someguy]

Azar 132 vs south africa

 

[EliteCynical]

11.Inzamam Ul Haq's 138 n.o v Bangladesh in 2003

yes was a phenomenal innings and saved Pak the embarrassment of losing to BD.

Also rate Inzi's 54 against Aus in that 1995 series as a gem. He won the match single handedly.

Not sure how the OP bases his criterion for 'best' every time, but i rate the innings of 205 in 1992 vs Amir Sohail to be one the best.

 

[TalhaSyed]

from the ones I have seen it has to be Kami's 113.

Green top wicket

Against India

Coming in to bat at 39/6

On the receiving end of a hat trick

Playing in front of a home crowd

Was crucial in Pakistan winning the match and the series

For me - doesn't get much better than that.

 

[Hasan123]

Best I have seen are

Moyo double century vs England in 2006
Younis double century vs England this year
Younis century vs Sri Lanka last year.
Kamran century vs India as mentioned above was brilliant also.

 

[boomboom6]

YK's 267 vs India at Bangalore ... that was pure clutch as Pak were trailing 1-0 in the series and it was the last match of the series ... proved to be a match winning double hundred ... in the same match Inzi also got 184.

267 vs India, 218 vs England and 171* in a massive run chase against SL, likely top 3 best innings of YK.

 

[Monsee]

Kamran's 113 at Karachi is the best I have seen. 39/6, green top. It doesn't get better than that.

His rearguard century at Mohali to save the match in 2005 is also one of my favorite, perhaps that's why I still have a soft spot for him.

Hopefully it is not as big of a soft spot compared to the one he has been carrying around his belly ever since

By all accts, the two centuries by Asif and one by Azhar were one of the best ever but then again so was Hanif's 337 and Wasim Raja and Majid Khan's only centuries in that list! Kamran Akmal's Karachi innings was one of the most favorite as well since it spiralled in to a mega mega 'Phainta' of gigantic proportions to India after all their celebrations when Pak was 6 down at 39!

So many other good innings as well, hard to decide but if push comes to shove, I will give it to the Original Little Master Hanif's Innings due to the magnitude of what he was facing and what he conquered during the longest test innings (time wise) ever

 

[waleed88]

Younis Khan's 218 has to be right up there with the best ones I have ever seen..

That knock against the likes of Woakes, Anderson, Broad and Finn will long in my memory as the best ever.

Consider the scenario your teams to restore the pride and win the final test match

The opposition has scored 313 in their first innings in one day and you end the day at 2/1..

You're having the worst form of your life and everyone's asking if this is his last series and should he retire..

From that the way he batted and accelerated while playing the tail, to bringing up his 200 with a six..

Has to be one of the greatest knocks by any Pakistani batsmen away from home in a long long time..

I would go as far as to rate these above the knocks Yousuf played against England in 2006..

 

[heddie19]

Younis Khan's 218 has to be right up there with the best ones I have ever seen..

That knock against the likes of Woakes, Anderson, Broad and Finn will long in my memory as the best ever.

Consider the scenario your teams to restore the pride and win the final test match

The opposition has scored 313 in their first innings in one day and you end the day at 2/1..

You're having the worst form of your life and everyone's asking if this is his last series and should he retire..

From that the way he batted and accelerated while playing the tail, to bringing up his 200 with a six..

Has to be one of the greatest knocks by any Pakistani batsmen away from home in a long long time..

I would go as far as to rate these above the knocks Yousuf played against England in 2006..

Couldn't agree more, that was when king khan showed his class <3

 

[MenInG]

Babar's hundreds during Australia series also qualify for this list.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnThisDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnThisDay</a> in 2015. An away series win for Pakistan against Sri Lanka after the third Test in Pallekele. Pakistan scored 382/3 their highest successful run-chase in Tests. Younis Khan led the way with an unbeaten 171 and Shan Masood scored 125 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/sAQh2Lejih">pic.twitter.com/sAQh2Lejih</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1544963269491924994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Mobashir]

Surely, Shahid Afridi's 141 deserves a mention. That was some innings.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Saeed Anwar 188 vs India. Not the easiest batting conditions and other batsmen wre struggling to score 20 + and after conceding a lead to India as well.