Decoding Pakistan cricket team's Test stats on Australian soil
What's the story
Pakistan will begin their three-match Test series against Australia on December 14 at the Optus Stadium in Perth. It will be an uphill challenge for the Men in Green to give some fight to the reigning ICC World Test Championship winners at their den. On the other hand, the Australian players will be high on confidence after winning the ODI World Cup in India.
Head-to-head
A look at the head-to-head record
Australia and Pakistan have featured in 69 Test matches with the Kangaroos holding out a massive lead, having won 34 matches. Pakistan have prevailed in 15 Test matches while 20 encounters ended in a draw. Australia have won the last two Test series against Pakistan. Whereas the Men in Green last won a Test series against Australia in 2018 in the UAE.
Pakistan
Pakistan's poor Test record in Australia
Pakistan have struggled to win Tests in Australia. The Men in Green have been whitewashed in their last five Test series on Australian soil. Hence, the pressure is on Shan Masood's men to avoid that from happening. Pakistan have played 37 Tests in Australia, losing 26 of them. They drew seven matches while winning four. They have never won a Test series in Australia.
Record
Decoding Pakistan's four Test wins on Australian soil
Pakistan's first Test win in Australia came in January 1977 when they defeated the Kangaroos by eight wickets in Sydney. They won again in Melbourne in 1979 by 71 runs. Once again, the series concluded in a draw. Pakistan defeated Australia by an innings and 82 runs in 1981 at the MCG. Lastly, they defeated Australia by 74 runs in December 1995 in Sydney.
Wickets
Decoding Pakistan's best performers with the ball Down Under
As per ESPNcricinfo, Sarfaraz Nawaz is Pakistan's highest wicket-taker in Australia in Test cricket with 50 wickets from 12 matches. Imran Khan is a close second with 45 wickets from 13 Tests Down Under. Wasim Akram completes the top three with 36 scalps in only nine Tests. Wasim and Imran have claimed three fifers each on Australian soil.
Runs
Decoding Pakistan's best performers with the bat Down Under
Zaheer Abbas is Pakistan's highest run-getter in Test cricket in Australia with 1,097 runs. Javed Miandad is a close second with a tally of 1,028 runs. They both are the only Pakistani batters with 1,000-plus Test runs in Australia. Imran is in third position with 733 runs from 13 Tests with a highest score of 136.
Babar
Pakistan will rely on Babar Azam
Although he has left captaincy, Babar Azam remains the cornerstone for Pakistan with his batting. He has scored 799 runs against Australia in 10 Tests at an average of 44.38. He has amassed two centuries and four fifties. In Australia, Babar has compiled 278 runs in five Tests at 27.80. He has amassed a solitary hundred and a fifty.
PAK
Other current key figures for the Pakistani side
Shaheen Afridi has scalped five Test wickets in two matches in Australia at 36.80. Meanwhile, Sarfaraz Ahmed owns 238 runs in four Test matches Down Under at 38.66. He has slammed two fifties. Mohammad Rizwan has scored 177 runs in four innings in Australia at 44.25. He has smashed a solitary fifty. Masood averages 39 in two Tests, scoring 156 runs (50: 1).