Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: From Javed Miandad ruling batting charts to Abdul Qadir's dominance, all important stats from Tests in Pakistan

A Test match will be played in Pakistan after 3,935 days as Azhar Ali and Co take on Sri Lanka in a two-match series, with the first one starting on Wednesday in Rawalpindi. A lot has changed since that fateful day of 3 March 2009 when a bus carrying Sri Lankan cricketers took fire from terrorists near Gaddafi Stadium. Misbah-ul-Haq, who was part of that squad, is now Pakistan’s head coach while all the Sri Lanka players who featured in that Test have retired. It will be intriguing to see Pakistan’s approach coming into the home series as they have lost each of their last six Tests. On the other hand, Sri Lanka have won three of their last four Test matches. There’s excitement over return of Test cricket in Pakistan and the fans desperately want their team to put up good performance. The onus will be on Pakistan fans to turn up in huge numbers and then on Azhar Ali’s team to seal the deal as they have not won a Test at home since 2007. But before that let’s look at some of the stats related to Tests played in Pakistan: Pakistan have won 13 Tests against New Zealand which is a record for them. On the contrary, Sri Lanka have lost only three Tests out of 12 since 1993 in Pakistan.

Karachi’s National Stadium has easily been Pakistan’s best venue over the years. Sri Lanka have lost four of the five Tests that they played against Pakistan at the venue. However, they won the only Test that they played against Pakistan at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium where the first match of the series will be played.

No player has scored more runs than Javed Miandad in Tests in Pakistan. He is the only player to score 4,000-plus runs.

Abdul Qadir holds the record of taking most wickets in Pakistan in Tests.

Javed Miandad took 40 catches in Pakistan in Tests which is the most by any player.

Wasim Bari, Pakistan’s former wicket-keeper, holds the record of most number of dismissals behind the stumps.

No captain has won more Test matches in Pakistan than Javed Miandad.

Javed Miandad is the only player to have played more than 50 Tests in Pakistan.