PAK vs ENG: Pakistan on brink of historic Test defeat

Today marks the final day of the gripping first Test match between Pakistan and England at the Multan Cricket Stadium, where the stakes could lead to a historic moment in cricket. As the match hangs in the balance, Pakistan faces the possibility of suffering an innings defeat despite having scored over 500 runs in their first innings—a scenario never witnessed in the history of the sport.

If Pakistan faces an innings defeat today, it will mark a historic first in cricket, as no team has ever scored 500 or more runs and lost by an innings. On the other hand, if they avoid an innings defeat but still lose the Test, it will only be the 19th occurrence in cricket history where a team has been dismissed after crossing the 500-run threshold.

Historically, there have been 18 instances where teams have suffered defeats after scoring over 500 runs in their innings. Pakistan has been on the wrong side of this statistic four times, including notable losses such as the controversial Oval Test refusal, and defeats at Leeds in 2006, Melbourne in 1972, and Rawalpindi in 2022. Australia follows closely behind with three such defeats.

Among the 18 recorded instances, 17 teams scored 500 runs in their first innings, whether that was their first or second batting effort. Notably, eight of these instances involved teams that batted first, made over 500 runs, and still found themselves on the losing side.

The record for the largest margin of defeat for a team scoring 500 runs in its first innings belongs to Pakistan, who lost by 167 runs to England in Leeds in 2006. Australia has experienced two similar defeats on home soil, while Pakistan faced a similar fate in Rawalpindi just two years ago.