Ranking Pakistan's Highest-Scoring Test Captains
Pakistan enjoyed yet another dominant day in the second Test with Australia in Abu Dhabi on Friday, with the home side taking firm control of proceedings in the United Arab Emirates.
And after Younis Khan’s heroics with the bat on the first day, today it was the turn of Misbah-ul-Haq to enter the record books, after he became his country’s highest run-scoring captain with his innings of 101 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
After such an impressive milestone, we examine the highest-scoring Test captains for Pakistan, with Ul-Haq sitting pretty at the top of the list.
10. Younis Khan (2005-2009)
1 of 10
Matches: 9 Inns: 15 Runs: 782 Ave: 55.85
Younis Khan, the current Pakistan run-machine, led his country in nine Tests between 2005 and 2009, during which time he scored 782 runs at an excellent average of 55.85, with two hundreds and three fifties and a highest score of 313.
However, it seems that Younis and Pakistan have both been better served by the former having been freed up to simply concentrate just on his batting since 2010, with Misbah-ul-Haq having taken over the captaincy reins.
9. Abdul Kardar (1952-1958)
2 of 10
Matches: 23 Inns: 37 Runs: 847 Ave: 24.91
The man who skippered Pakistan in their maiden Test match in 1952, Abdul Kardar went on to captain his country on 22 more occasions during the course of the next six years, making 847 runs at 24.91 in the process.
8. Hanif Mohammad (1964-1967)
3 of 10
Matches: 11 Inns: 18 Runs: 881 Ave: 58.73
Hanif Mohammad registered an impressive four centuries in only 11 Tests as Pakistan skipper between 1964 and 1967, while averaging almost 60 runs per innings as well, more than any of his rivals on this list.
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7. Wasim Akram (1993-1999)
4 of 10
Matches: 25 Inns: 41 Runs: 894 Ave: 24.16
All-rounder Wasim Akram managed to record his highest-ever Test score of 257 not out while leading Pakistan during 25 Test matches between 1993 and 1999.
And the big-hitting batsman and brilliant left-arm paceman tended to rely on leading from the front through performance levels rather than any great tactical acumen.
6. Mushtaq Mohammad (1976-1979)
5 of 10
Matches: 19 Inns: 33 Runs: 1,035 Ave: 33.38
Brilliant right-handed batsman Mushtaq Mohammad skippered his country for the final three years of his Test-match career, amassing more than 1,000 runs in that time at a respectable average of 33.38.
5. Saleem Malik (1994-1995)
6 of 10
Matches: 12 Inns: 21 Runs: 1,047 Ave: 52.35
Despite only skippering his country in 12 Tests between 1994 and 1995, Punjabi Saleem Malik still managed to score 1,047 runs at 52.35 in that short space of time, with three tons and three fifties.
However, the former Essex batsman was only really called up to captain Pakistan in the absence of regular skipper Wasim Akram.
4. Javed Miandad (1980-1993)
7 of 10
Matches: 34 Inns: 51 Runs: 2,354 Ave: 50.08
Astute captain of Pakistan for 34 Tests between 1980 and 1993, Javed Miandad scored 2,354 runs at an eye-catching average of 50.08, with five tons and 13 half-centuries for the team cause.
And the right-handed batsman led his country during a time when they were one of the best teams in the world, with Miandad always capable of extracting the very best out of his players at all time, especially when playing on home soil.
3. Inzamam-Ul-Haq (2001-2007)
8 of 10
Matches: 31 Inns: 53 Runs: 2,397 Ave: 52.10
No other player in the history of Pakistani cricket has scored more than Inzamam-Ul-Haq's seven Test centuries as captain, achieved during his six-year period in charge.
However, as a leader of men, Inzy came from the laid-back school of skippering, with the right-hander tending to let his bat do the talking.
2. Imran Khan (1982-1992)
9 of 10
Matches: 48 Inns: 64 Runs: 2,408 Ave: 52.34
Imran Khan was an inspirational skipper for his country in his 10-year tenure, leading Pakistan for a record 48 Test matches. During this time, the all-rounder made almost 2,500 runs at a breathtaking average of 52.34.
In fact, Imran will always go down in his country's history as being their best-ever captain, regardless of what the record books may say.
1. Misbah-ul-Haq (2010-2014)
10 of 10
Matches: 31 Inns: 53 Runs: 2,447 Ave: 58.26
Misbah-ul-Haq’s fourth Test hundred as captain of Pakistan, made against Australia on day two of the second Test in Abu Dhabi, now makes the right-handed middle-order batsman his country’s highest-scoring skipper with 2,447 runs at a truly outstanding average of 58.26.
And not only that, but following his country's 2-0 series win, Misbah has now joined both Imran Khan and Javed Miandad as Pakistan's most successful-ever captains on 14 Test wins.
All stats from ESPN Cricinfo
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