Teams With Most Wins In Test Cricket While Chasing 200 Or 200 Plus Runs

Chasing fourth-innings total in Test cricket is hardly an easy task for teams, no matter the score. When chasing 200 or more, chasing sides can often feel like the target is nearly 300 or 350. The significant reason why the batsmen in Test cricket experience is owing to the constantly deteriorating pitches by the time the match reaches the final innings.

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Despite that, all nine outfits in Test cricket have managed to chalk out wins in Test cricket while chasing 200 or more. It does take gutsy and determined knocks from one of the top three to overhaul these tricky totals. At times, the teams have chased targets even as greater as 400. For instance, the West Indies made the highest successful run-chase in 2003, a record which stands till date.

We take a look at how many wins most teams have had while chasing 200 or more in Test cricket:

Bangladesh – 1

Bangladesh cricket team have achieved this only once in their career since 2000, having played 119 Tests so far. One of their 14 wins came while chasing 215 in the fourth innings against West Indies and was also one of the Tigers’ best wins in Test cricket. The venue was St. George’s Park in Grenada, the second Test of the two-match series.

It was a low-scoring game which came down to the tourists needing to chase 215 in the fourth innings to win the series. Half-centuries from Raqibul Hasan and Shakib Al-Hasan were crucial during the chase that scripted a win by four wickets. It was also their first series win against the Caribbeans.

Sri Lanka – 6

Sri Lankan national team has done it successfully on six occasions. The Lankans scaled their highest chase of 388 in 2017 against Zimbabwe in R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The successful pursuit of 388 was also the highest in Asia, eclipsing the previous 387 by India. It was also the second time that Sri Lanka did it against Zimbabwe.

Led by Craig Ervine’s 160, the tourists amassed 356 and secured a slender 10-run lead after that as Graeme Cremer took five wickets. Sikandar Raza slammed a scintillating century in the second innings to set Sri Lanka a daunting target to win. However, half-centuries from Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunaratne, and Niroshan Dickwella ensured a remarkable victory.

New Zealand – 7

New Zealand cricket has achieved the feat of chasing down 200 or more seven times in Test cricket. The Black Caps mounted their highest chase of 324 against Pakistan in Christchurch back in February 1994. New Zealand won the match even after staying behind for the most part of the game.

In response to Pakistan’s first innings score of 344, the hosts managed only 200. Danny Morrison’s four wickets kept Pakistan to only 179 after which twin centuries from Bryan Young and Stuart Thomson saw the home side winning by five wickets. It was a highly credible win scripted over a bowling attack comprising of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.

Pakistan – 8

Pakistan cricket team has recorded chases of 200 or more in the fourth innings in Test cricket eight times. The men in green scaled their highest chase against Sri Lanka five years ago in Pallekele when the target was 377. Pakistan achieved the feat with seven wickets to spare.

The tourists found themselves behind after conceding a first-innings lead of 62, managing 215 in response to Sri Lanka’s 278. A century from Angelo Mathews and fifty from Dinesh Chandimal set Pakistan a formidable fourth-innings chase. Shan Masood set the tone after which Younis Khan and Misbah-Ul-Haq chased down the score with ease to record a series victory.

South Africa – 12

The South African team has chased 200 or more 12 times in Test cricket, doing it four times against Australia in particular. Perhaps their highest run-chase of 414 also came against Australia in Perth in 2008. The successful pursuit of 414 is also the second-highest in Test cricket history.

Australia secured a sizeable first-innings lead of 94 after bowling out the Proteas for 281 in their first innings as Mitchell Johnson took eight wickets. Brad Haddin was the sole batsman to make a half-century in the second innings while the other Australian batsmen chipped in with useful contributions.

Neil Mckenzie perished for 10 in the fifteenth over; however, there were centuries from Graeme Smith and Ab de Villiers while Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, and JP Duminy accounted for half-centuries to see the visitors home by six wickets.

India – 13

India have won chasing a target of 200 or above 13 times with the most recent one coming against Australia at the Gabba. Their largest successful run-chase came in 1976 against the West Indies when they stunned the hosts to chase 403. India recorded a victory resoundingly with six wickets to spare. The tourists found themselves in a position of bother, having conceded a massive lead of 131 runs in the first innings.

Alvin Kallichharan smashed a century in the third innings to set India a little more than 400 to win. Sunil Gavaskar led their reply with a hundred as Mohinder Amarnath and Gundappa Vishwanath played a crucial role, driving them home by six wickets. India did it once again against the West Indies in 2011, successfully chasing 276.

West Indies – 20

West Indies holds the record for the highest fourth-innings chase in Test cricket when they overhauled Australia’s 418 in 2003 in Antigua. They have done it a record 20 times, but the one against Australia remains the most famous one. Australia and West Indies both scored 240 in their first innings of the Test.

Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden managed tons in Australia’s second innings, but none of the other batsmen could contribute as they finished with 417. Twin centuries from Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan while a fifty from captain Brian Lara helped them pull off a world record. However, West Indies had lost the series by then.

England – 26

The English cricket team sit at number two, having pulled it off on 26 occasions in Test cricket. Their highest chase of 360 transpired at the Headingley last year against Australia when Ben Stokes triggered an unthinkable resurgence to level the five-match series. The hosts won that match with one wicket to spare.

English batsmen could not back their bowlers’ performance, conceding a first-innings lead of 112. The bowlers returned to limit Australia to 246, giving themselves 359 to chase with two and a half days to go. At one point, the hosts found themselves 286-9; however, Stokes held his nerve through some very tense moments to script a stunning victory.

Australia – 28

Australia sits pretty at the top of this list, having achieved the feat on 28 occasions. While their most recent one was back in February 2016, their highest of 404 came back in 1948 against England in Headingley. The tourists won that five-match Ashes series by a convincing 4-0 margin.

In response to England’s 496, Australia did not fall very much behind, making 458. The hosts put another strong batting performance and declared to set Australia 404 to win. But English bowlers had no answers to Arthur Morris and Don Bradman, who scored 182 and 173 respectively to steer Australia home by six wickets.

Also Read: Teams With The Most 500+ Totals In Test Cricket

(All Stats Updated Till 19th January, 2021)