Which Matches Did Pakistan Lose After Declaring an Innings? Top 3 Instances

Pakistan's decision to declare an innings has often been a double-edged sword, occasionally leading to their downfall. A recent example is their loss to Bangladesh in August 2024, where declaring their first innings with four wickets still in hand played a pivotal role in their defeat. This isn’t an isolated case; Pakistan has faced similar scenarios in the past.

Pakistan vs England, 1961

Match: Pakistan vs England, Lahore Date: January 1961

In this Test match, Pakistan declared their first innings at 387 for 9, largely thanks to Javed Burki’s impressive 138. England responded with 380 runs, driven by Ken Barrington's century and a near-century from Mike Smith.

In a twist of cricketing fate, Pakistan’s second innings fizzled out at 200 runs, leaving England a target of 208. Enter Ted Dexter, England’s skipper, who coolly carved out an unbeaten 66, making the chase look easier than finding a cricket ball in a cupboard. Despite Pakistan’s brave declaration, it ended up backfiring like a misjudged reverse sweep, as England cruised to a five-wicket victory.

Pakistan vs Australia, 1972

Match: Pakistan vs Australia, Melbourne Date: January 1972

In a Test showdown at the MCG, Australia declared like they owned the pitch, racking up 441 for 5 with Ian Redpath smashing 135 and Greg Chappell coolly cruising to 116*. In reply, Pakistan exceeded expectations with a total of 574 for 8. The standout contributions came from Saqid Mohammad, who made 137, and Majid Khan, who scored an impressive 158. Their exceptional batting, supported by other key players, enabled Pakistan to gain a significant lead.

Australia's second innings saw centuries from Paul Sheahan (127) and John Benaud (142), setting a target of 293. Despite a strong first innings, Pakistan faltered in their second innings and were all out for 200, resulting in a 92-run defeat. The declaration, while initially promising, didn’t hold up under pressure.

Pakistan vs Australia, 2016

Match: Pakistan vs Australia, Melbourne Date: December 2016

In this Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Pakistan chose to bat first and declared their innings at 443 for 9, with Azhar Ali’s double century (205) as the highlight. Australia replied robustly with 624 for 8 declared, featuring stellar performances from David Warner (144) and Steven Smith (165*), supported by fifties from Usman Khawaja (97) and Mitchell Starc.

Pakistan’s second innings was a disaster, as they were dismissed for just 163, leading to a defeat by an innings and 18 runs. The declaration in the first innings had set a solid foundation, but the inability to capitalize on it led to a heavy defeat.

The common thread in these matches is the inability of Pakistan to convert strong first innings positions into victories. The declarations, intended to put pressure on the opposition, often left Pakistan vulnerable. In the 1961 and 1972 matches, the batting collapse in the second innings after setting a target showed that a declaration can sometimes backfire if the team fails to perform consistently.