Pakistan vs Bangladesh: How Many Teams Have Lost Test Match After Declaring First Innings?

Pakistan suffered a humiliating 10-wicket defeat in the first Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi. Several former cricketers and experts have pointed fingers at the game-reading ability of skipper Shan Masood, who declared Pakistan’s first innings after reaching 448/6. In response, Bangladesh posted a mammoth 565 runs, taking a 117-run lead in the 1st innings. P

Pakistan were then bundled out for 146 runs in their second essay, setting Bangladesh a lowly 30-run target. The visitors chased it down in just 6.3 overs to register the first-ever Test victory over the hosts.

It was the first instance when a team lost a Test match after declaring the first innings. It has happened 396 times that a team has intentionally wrapped up their first innings before losing all the wickets. The decision brought a positive result on 191 occasions while 187 of those matches ended in a draw and one game was tied. Only in 17 Tests, a team has ended up enduring a defeat after declaring in the first innings.

Pakistan

Pakistan was the first team to achieve the unwanted feat in a Lahore Test in 1961. They declared at 387 runs against England, who bowled out the home side for 200 in the second innings. The visitors were not troubled much while chasing a target of 208 on Day 5.

Pakistan faced a similar situation in 2016 in an away Test against Australia. They considered 443 runs enough in the first innings but Australia went on to score a mammoth 624. Pakistan were all out for 163, to suffer an innings defeat.

West Indies

West Indies lost a Test match two times after choosing to declare in the first innings. The first instance was in 1968 when England beat them by seven wickets in Port of Spain. The second such defeat came during an Australia tour in 2012. After both teams declared in the first two innings, the Aussies restricted the Caribbean visitors to 148 and easily chased down a 192-run target.

Australia

In a Test against England in 1981, Australia declared their first innings after scoring 401. Bob Willis fetched an eight-wicket haul to help England defend 130 runs in the fourth innings. Australia faced a similar disappointment in an away match against India in 2013. The visiting side were bundled out for 131 runs and suffered an innings defeat.

South Africa

South Africa have lost three Test matches after declaring in the first innings. In 2000, England beat them by two wickets at Centurion. Australia did the same in 2006 when South Africa decided to declare after scoring 451. The same happened in Adelaide in 2006 when Australia had to chase a 127-run target which they completed in 40.5 overs.

England

England’s decision to declare the first innings has proven wrong thrice. They first lost an Adelaide Test against Australia in 2006. The other two defeats came last year against New Zealand and Australia respectively.

India

In 1976. India chose to declare at 306 runs against the mighty West Indies. Five Indian batters were ‘absent hurt’ in the second innings which helped the Caribbean side notch an easy victory by chasing 13 runs.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka lost a Test match to Pakistan in 2014 after declaring at 428 runs on Day 2. The hosts had a lead in the first innings but Pakistan bounced back on the back of Azhar Ali’s century to secure a five-wicket win.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh endured a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of New Zealand after declaring at 595 runs in their first innings. The Asian side managed only 160 runs in the follow-up and the Kiwis had no trouble in chasing down 217 runs in the fourth innings.

Zimbabwe

India defeated Zimbabwe in a Test match in Delhi in 2000 after the visitors declared their first innings at 422. Zimbabwe managed 225 runs in the second innings whereas India took only 38 overs to complete a 190-run chase.