England vs Pakistan, 2020: 3-match Test series – Statistical Preview

The 3-match Test series starting in England on Wednesday will mark the return of Pakistan to International cricket since the 2nd week of February. Pakistan will be looking to improve their overseas record as they have not won an away series in International cricket against a top nation in more than two years.

England’s International return with a defeat against West Indies but the hosts regrouped quickly to clinch the series. None of Pakistan’s pacers has picked even 100 wickets while England’s opening pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad have claimed 500 Test wickets apiece.

All the key stats and numbers ahead of the first game of the 3-match Test series between England and Pakistan:

0-6 – Pakistan lost all the six Test matches they played outside Asia since their victory at the Lord’s against England back in 2018. They lost to England in the Leeds Test and went on to get whitewashed in a 3-match series on South African soil in 2018-19. They also lost the 2-match Test series against Australia in Australia.

28.55 – Azhar Ali is one of the two players to average less than 30 with the bat during the ENG-PAK Tests played in England. (Min: 500 runs) Azhar Ali amassed 512 runs in 20 innings across 10 ENG-PAK Tests in England with help of a hundred and two fifties.

61.06 – Batting average of Joe Root in Test cricket against Pakistan; the 2nd best average among the players with 750+ runs in England-Pakistan Tests. Root scored 916 runs in 17 innings he has batting against Pakistan across nine Tests. Root’s highest Test score of 254 is till date his only Test ton against Pakistan but also recorded six fifties in the nine Tests against them.

117 – Number of wickets between James Anderson (63) and Stuart Broad (54) in Test cricket against Pakistan. The duo are the only England players to claim 50+ wickets in the longer format against Pakistan.

589 – James Anderson needs 11 more wickets to become the first pace bowler to reach 600 wickets in Test cricket. Anderson will also be only the 4th player to reach 600 wickets in this format when he gets those 11 wickets.

1996 – Pakistan has not won a series on England soil in Test cricket in more than 23 years. Pakistan’s last Test series win in England came way back during a 3-match series in 1996 which they clinched by 2-0 match.

2010 – Last time England won a Test series against Pakistan was back in 2010 at home when they won a 4-match series by 3-1 margin. England lost both the Test series they played against Pakistan in UAE in these ten years while the two home series against Pakistan during this period ended in a draw.

5919 – Runs aggregated by Azhar Ali during his 78-match Test career thus far. The Pakistan Test captain needs 81 more runs to become the only the 5th player to complete 6000 Test runs for Pakistan. Babar Azam is also 150 runs away from completing 2000 runs in Test cricket.