High scores, and joy for Akmal

Stats highlights from the last day of the first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Karachi

Feb 25, 2009, 3:31 PM

Stats highlights from the final day of the first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Karachi.

Kamran Akmal became the fourth batsman to score more than 150 in the match, which is a record in Test cricket © AFP

Pakistan's total of 765 for 6 is the fifth-highest score in Test cricket. It's their highest, comfortably going past their previous best of 708 against England at The Oval. It's also the highest by any team in Pakistan, and the highest by any side against Sri Lanka. In fact, it's the first time any team has scored more than 700 against them.

Despite the flurry of wickets towards the end, the match still finished with an average of 86.27 runs per wicket, which is good enough to put in seventh place in the all-time list of Tests with the highest runs per wicket. The venue which tops the list is Lahore, where India and Pakistan had a combined average of 136.12 in a Test in 2006. Considering that's also the venue for the second Test of the current series, it isn't particularly good news for the bowlers.

Only 18 wickets fell in the match, which equals the record for least number of wickets in a Test in Pakistan which has produced at least 400 overs of cricket. In Tests across the world, fewer than 18 wickets have fallen in eight Tests (with the 400-over qualification).

Kamran Akmal's unbeaten 158 was the fourth 150-plus score in the match, which is the first time this has happened in Test history. There are 21 instances of three 150-plus scores. Click here for the full list.

Akmal's knock is also his highest in Tests, going past his previous best of 154 against England. He went past the 2000-run mark during the course of this knock. Among Pakistan wicketkeepers, only Moin Khan, with 2581, has scored more runs.

Muttiah Muralitharan bowled 65 overs in the Test, which is his second-highest in a game. He had bowled 75 against India in Mohali in 1997. He has now bowled 65 overs in a match on three occasions.

Sohail Khan conceded 164 runs in the match, the most by a bowler without taking a wicket in his first Test. The only other bowler to concede 150 runs on debut without taking a wicket is Aaqib Javed, the former Pakistan fast bowler.

Muthiah Muralidaran Kamran Akmal Sri Lanka Pakistan Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan