Ranking Saqlain Mushtaq’s top 3 bowling performances in Tests

Saqlain Mushtaq is one of the most well-known figures in international cricket and built a legacy for himself because of his outstanding performances for Pakistan in both formats of the game, Test and ODI cricket. In this article, we will take a look at Saqlain Mushtaq’s top 3 bowling performances in Test cricket. 

8/164 vs England, 2000

This is the best bowling performance of Saqlain Mushtaq in Test cricket which he delivered against England in Lahore. It was the first match of the Test series between the two teams and Mushtaq bowled outstandingly well against a strong English batting unit on a relatively flat deck. He picked up 8 wickets and was the biggest reason why Pakistan could stop England from going beyond the 500-run mark. The match eventually ended in a draw but would be remembered for Mushtaq’s masterful performance. 

7/66 vs Zimbabwe, 2002

This is a solid bowling performance that guided Pakistan to a comfortable victory over Zimbabwe in the second match of the test series at Bulawayo. Mushtaq picked up 7 wickets in the first innings and almost single-handedly wrapped up the Zimbabwe batting order for a low total of 178 runs. He got crucial wickets including the dismissals of Alistair Campbell, Grant Flower, and Hamilton Masakadza. This first innings performance gave Pakistan an upper hand in the match which ultimately resulted in a massive win. 

6/46 vs Australia, 1999

This might be the most rewarding performance of the three on the list as it came against Australia in Hobart. Spinners from the subcontinent generally do not perform exceptionally well outside Asia which is why this spell is more special. Saqlain Mushtaq picked up these 6 wickets in the first innings of the match to prevent Australia from taking a huge lead in the match. He got rid of some of the big names in the Australian team such as Adam Gilchrist, Justin Langer, and Michael Slater among others. 

Read More : Ranking Saqlain Mushtaq’s top 3 bowling performances in ODI