Top five Test innings by Younis Khan

KARACHI: Man from Mardan, the backbone of Pakistan cricket, Younis Khan has ended his Test and international cricket Career with 10,099 runs to his credit, most by any Pakistani batsman in the history of Test cricket.

In 17-year cricket career of 118 Tests, Younis Khan played several memorable innings, 34 of them crossed three figures mark, but there are few innings which will always remind us of him, here we share some of such memorable innings played by Younis.

171* vs Sri Lanka at Pallekele, July 2015

After going in deficit of 63 runs, Pakistan was set with a mammoth target of 377 runs to win the third and final Test against Sri Lanka with two days of play remaining. Pakistan had lost two quick wickets of Ahmed Shahzad and Azhar Ali with only 13 on board. Younis came at this situation and joined Shan Masood on wicket. The duo kept the score card moving slowly and added 242 runs for the third wicket. Victory was still far from Pakistan’s sight when Shan Masood lost his wicket. But Younis remained defiant, joined by Misbah ul Haq to finish the match. Younis stayed on wicket for 428 minutes, played 271 deliveries and scored 171 runs to orchestrate Pakistan’s highest run chase in Test cricket. The win also helped Pakistan clinch the series 2-1.

267 (& 84*) vs India at Bangalore, March 2005

Pakistan was 0-1 down in three match Test series against India, the visitors couldn’t get a good start in third match where there were aiming to level the series as openers Yasir Hameed and Shahid Afridi returned to pavilion with only 7 runs on board. Younis showed his class in this situation and along with his captain Inzamam ul Haq reconstructed Pakistan’s innings and added 324 runs for the third wicket. Inzy lost the momentum after scoring 184 but Younis remained defiant on other end. He stood while his partners kept on changing at regular interval. The Man from Mardan scored 267 runs after spending 690 minutes on wicket, stroking 32 boundaries and one sixer off 504 deliveries. In second innings he scored quick 84 off 98 deliveries helping Pakistan make a timely declaration which led to Pakistan’s memorable win in Bangalore Test by 168 runs.

218 vs England at the Oval, August 2016

Pakistan was 1-2 down in the four match series, the fourth test was must-win situation for Pakistan to avoid the series loss. Replying to England’s first innings score of 328, Pakistan lost three wickets for 127 runs. Asad Shafiq was joined by Younis Khan to rebuild Pakistan’s innings, both added 150 runs for the third wicket. Asad departed after scoring 109, but Younis continued his fight and completed double century. His innings of 218 helped Pakistan post 542, with a lead of 214 runs against England, which helped Pakistan win the Test by 10 wickets.

175* vs Australia at Sydney, January 2017

The innings which made Younis Khan the player to score a century at all test countries, although Pakistan lost the test by 220 runs, but Younis Khan’s individual performance highlighted him as one-man army of Pakistan team. He stood when everyone else was falling apart, Younis remained not out after scoring 175 runs, 55% of Pakistan’s total score of 315 in the innings.

313 vs Sri Lanka at Karachi, March 2009

The last complete Test match played on Pakistan’s soil became memorable for Younis when he became Pakistan’s 3rd triple centurion to join Hanif Mohammad and Inzamam ul Haq in the list. Although on a batting track, but a triple century is nonetheless a great achievement. Younis batted for 760 minutes, faced 568 deliveries to score 313 runs, an innings which will always be remembered as one of Younis Khan’s greatest knocks of all time.