Flashback: The slowest day in Test cricket’s history

Test cricket is the longest and oldest format in this sport. Unlike the ODIs and T20Is, both limited-overs formats, Test matches are the real deal for any cricketer who plays this beautiful game. The format doesn’t experience that entertainment and enthrallment, which is common in limited-overs cricket. To highlight this, Test cricket saw one of the slowest days in history when Pakistan and Australia met in Karachi in 1956.

Australia toured Pakistan for a one-off Test in 1956 and on the opening day of the only Test in Karachi, scoring runs seemed to be the hardest. The first day of the match saw only 95 runs scored, the slowest day in the history of Test cricket. 12 wickets tumbled on that particular day but the scoring remained below 100.

Australia skipper Ian Johnson won the toss and elected to bat first in the only game of the series. Pakistani pacers Fazal Mahmood and Khan Mohammad wreaked havoc as both picked up six and four wickets respectively to bundle out the visitors for just 80 in 53.1 overs at a run rate of 1.50.

Fazal ended his spell with figures of 6/34 in 27 overs at an economy rate of just 1.25, which also included 11 maiden overs. Khan took four scalps and went away for 43 runs in 26.1 overs with nine maidens to his name. He also bowled tightly to manage an economy rate of 1.64.

In reply, both Pakistani openers Hanif Mohammad and Alimuddin went back to the pavilion for just zero and ten respectively. The hosts scored 15 and ended the first day’s play with the loss of both the opening batters. With this, the opening day saw just 95 runs scored, which is the slowest in Test cricket to date. Pakistan went on to win the solitary Test by nine wickets margin.