There have been some historic run chases over the years. India won the Gabba match with a great run chase against the Aussies. But do they make it to the top 5 highest successful run chase in Test cricket? If not, then here is the list of top 5 run chases in cricket.
5) West Indies vs Bangladesh (395 runs)
Date: 3rd February 2021
Result: West Indies won by 3 wickets
Scorecard: Bangladesh - 430 (1st innings) 223/8d (2nd innings) West Indies - 259 (1st innings) 395-7 (2nd innings)
Bangladesh started the series with a good batting display. Hasan Miraz's 103 and Shakib Al Hasan's 68 helped Bangladesh steer to 430. West Indies in reply fell short of 171 runs and were bowled out on 259.
Bangladesh came to bat again on the 3rd day. After some early blows, Mominul Haque's century put them back on track and after batting for nearly a day they declared after reaching 223.
Underestimating West Indies' capability, Bangladesh had set a target of 395 for the Indies. It was Kyle Mayers who was the hero of the day, he scored 210 not out. His innings helped West Indies chased the target with 3 wickets left.
4) England vs Australia (404 runs)
Date: 22nd July 1948
Result: Australia won by 7 wickets
Scorecard: England - 496 (1st innings) 365/8d (2nd innings)
Australia - 458 (1st innings) 404-3 (2nd innings)
The test match was a supreme display of batting abilities from both sides. England came on to bat first and scored a mighty 496 runs. To its reply, Australia fell a little short of that total and was dismissed for 458 runs.
England batted again with a lead of 38 runs. The match was even by then. In their second innings, England scored 365 and declared, hoping that they would dismiss the Aussies before time runs out.
Australia had to chase 404 runs. The chase felt like Australia continued from where they stopped in the first innings. Arthur Morris's 182 and Don Bradman's 173 helped Aussies chase 404 runs with 7 wickets in hand.
3) West Indies vs India (395 runs)
Date: 7th April 1976
Result: India won by 6 wickets
Scorecard: West Indies - 359 (1st innings) 271/6d (2nd innings)
India - 228 (1st innings) 406-4 (2nd innings)
This victory for India holds a special value in their cabinet. It was the era when West Indies used to be the best team in the world and to defeat them in their home ground was an uphill task.
While betting first, Vivian Richards showed his class with another century and helped West Indies to reach 359 runs. In Reply India fell way short to 228. Michael Holding took 6 wicket hauls in that innings.
When West Indies were asked to bat again, this time too they played well and stopped when they reached 271. They set a target of 403 runs for India.
In reply to West Indies' fierce fast bowling, Indian batsmen Gundappa Viswanath and Sunil Gavaskar both scored a hundred each and helped India win the match with 6 wickets in hand.
2) Australia vs South Africa (414 runs)
Date: 17th December 2008
Result: South Africa won by 6 wickets
Scorecard: Australia - 375 (1st innings) 319 (2nd innings)
South Africa- 281 (1st innings) 414-4 (2nd innings)
South Africa pulled the second-best chase in cricket history on Australian soil. Australia decided to bat first and put up a decent 375 on the board. When the Aussies came to bowl, Mitchell Johnson was having the day of his life. He took 8 wickets in the innings and restricted South Africa to 281.
Australia now entered to bat with a lead of 94 runs. A decent performance from both sides restricted Australia to 319.
South Africa had a target of 414 in front of them. Their captain Graeme Smith and talisman AB de Villiers took the games in their hands. They both scored a century to give South Africa a record-breaking victory.
1) West Indies vs Australia (418 runs)
Date: 9th May 2003
Result: West Indies won by 3 wickets
Scorecard: Australia - 240 (1st innings) 417 (2nd innings) West Indies - 240 (1st innings) 418/7 (2nd innings)
West Indies tops the list of the most successful run chase in cricket history.
One of the rarities that happened on the pitch on the first three days was that both the teams were bowled out for the same runs in the first innings. Aussies and the Indies had scored 240 runs in the first innings.
By the start of the second innings, the match had turned into an ODI. Australia came to bat, and with the help of Matthew Hayden's 177 they got to a match-winning 417 runs.
When everyone ruled West Indies out, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul's centuries brought them into the match and eventually, West Indies pulled the run chase and won the match by 3 wickets.
