England vs Pakistan, 2020: 2nd Test, Day 5 – Curran’s home streak, Rizwan’s achievement and more stats

Pakistan’s wait to win a Test series in England continued as the 2nd Test in Southampton turned out to be a draw handing England an unassailable lead of 1-0. Only 10.2 overs of play was possible across the 3rd and 4th day’s play where Pakistan innings finally came to an end on 236 with Mohammad Rizwan (72) falling to Stuart Broad. The play on the final day began after the Tea interval where Zak Crawley smashed seven boundaries during his 53-run knock. England made 110/4 in 43.1 overs before the game ended in a draw.

All the statistical highlights from the rain-affected 2nd Test in Southampton:

End of Curran and Root’s streaks:

1 – The Southampton Test became the first home Test for Sam Curran where he didn’t end up on the winning side. Coming into this match, the left-hander witnessed England winning in all the eight Test matches he played at home.

6 – This drawn Test also puts an end to Joe Root’s winning streak as captain in Test cricket. England won all the six Test matches they played under Root’s captaincy in 2020 before this Test match. This 6-match winning streak is the longest as captain for Root in Test cricket.

A rare incomplete Test in England:

2 – This Test hosted by Southampton is only the 2nd Test match in England since 1993 without the first innings of both teams not being complete. The 2012 Birmingham Test between West Indies and England is the other such Test match.

807 – Number of balls bowled in this Test match; the 2nd fewest balls bowled during a Test match on England soil since World War II. The shortest Test hosted by England in this period is 677 balls during the 1987 Lord’s Test which was also played between England and Pakistan.

A rare feat by Rizwan:

1 – Mohammad Rizwan is now the first visiting keeper to earn Player of the Match award during a Test hosted by England since Adam Gilchrist in the 2001 Birmingham Test. Gilchrist earned the match award for his blistering 143-ball 152 that powered Australia to an innings victory.

1 – Rizwan is also the first Pakistan keeper with a player of the match award outside Asia in Test cricket. In fact, only two Pakistan keepers before Rizwan had a ‘Player of the Match’ award in the longer format outside Pakistan – Kamran Akmal vs India in 2005 Mohali Test and Sarfaraz Ahmed vs SL in 2014 Galle Test.

Broad @ 100:

100 – The wicket of Rizwan that Stuart Broad claimed on 4th day turned out to be his 100th wicket in International cricket against Pakistan. He thus becomes the first England player to pick 100 International wickets against Pakistan. Only Abdul Qadir (105) picked 100 or more wickets in the International matches between England and Pakistan.