In the wake of a disappointing World Cup 2023 campaign, the Pakistan cricket team faces a daunting test as they prepare to tour Australia for a red-ball series. The challenging conditions and formidable Australian bowling attack will pose a significant challenge for the Pakistani team. This upcoming tour marks the 14th time Pakistan will play a red-ball series against Australia.
Pakistan’s red-ball record in Australia is dismal, having failed to clinch a single Test series across their past 13 tours down under. Despite occasionally managing to secure individual victories, a series win remains elusive for the Green Shirts. This upcoming tour presents an opportunity to break this jinx and etch their name in cricket history.
Pakistan has a rich history of producing exceptional fast bowlers, with names like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, and Mohammad Asif immediately springing to mind. These bowlers have consistently posed a formidable challenge to Australia, leaving their mark on the cricketing landscape. Australian batsmen have often struggled against the relentless pace and swing of these Pakistani bowling greats. The formidable tandem of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, in particular, has etched their names in Australian cricket history with their impressive record.
The Pakistan team has embarked on 13 tours of Australia in the traditional five-day Test cricket format. Let’s delve into Pakistan’s cricketing history on Australian soil.
Pakistan tour of Australia Test series record
| Span | Matches | Won | Lost | Draw | W/L | Average | Innings | Start Date | Winner |
| Pakistan in Australia, 1964/65 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 30.65 | 2 | 4 December 1964 | Drawn |
| Pakistan in Australia, 1972/73 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.000 | 30.01 | 6 | 22 December 1972 | Australia |
| Pakistan in Australia, 1976/77 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | 31.03 | 6 | 24 December 1976 | Drawn |
| Pakistan in Australia, 1978/79 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 28.48 | 4 | 10 March 1979 | Drawn |
| Pakistan in Australia, 1981/82 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.500 | 27.75 | 5 | 13 November 1981 | Australia |
| Pakistan in Australia, 1983/84 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.000 | 31.06 | 9 | 11 November 1983 | Australia |
| Pakistan in Australia, 1989/90 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.000 | 26.24 | 5 | 12 January 1990 | Australia |
| Pakistan in Australia, 1995/96 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.500 | 21.32 | 6 | 9 November 1995 | Australia |
| Pakistan in Australia, 1999/00 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.000 | 28.21 | 9 | 5 November 1999 | Australia |
| Pakistan in Australia, 2004/05 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.000 | 23.06 | 6 | 16 December 2004 | Australia |
| Pakistan in Australia, 2009/10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.000 | 24.80 | 6 | 26 December 2009 | Australia |
| Pakistan in Australia, 2016/17 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.000 | 29.77 | 6 | 15 December 2016 | Australia |
| ICC World Test Championship, 2019/21 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.000 | 27.90 | 4 | 21 November 2019 | Australia |
| Pakistan in Australia, 2019/20 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.000 | 27.90 | 4 | 21 November 2019 | Australia |
In December 1976, the Pakistani cricket team embarked on a three-Test tour of Australia. The series ended in a draw, with Pakistan securing their first Test victory on Australian soil in the final match.
Pakistan’s victory in the third match at the Sydney Cricket Ground was spearheaded by Imran Khan’s remarkable bowling performance, claiming six wickets in each innings. His 12 wickets in the match stand as the best bowling figures ever recorded by an Asian bowler in Australia. Asif Iqbal’s outstanding 120 runs in the first innings further complemented the team’s success.
The first Test of the 2016 Pakistan vs Australia series, held at The Gabba in Brisbane, was a historic match that marked the first use of a pink ball in a day-night Test. Australia set Pakistan a daunting target of 490 runs, and Pakistan’s batting initially faltered, losing wickets in quick succession. However, middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq stepped up to play one of his best innings, scoring 137 runs. Shafiq’s partnership with Yasir Shah, in which they added 71 runs for the ninth wicket, gave Pakistan a glimmer of hope, but ultimately Australia emerged victorious
Pakistan came agonizingly close to chasing down the target, falling short by a mere 39 runs. Asad Shafiq played a valiant innings of 137 runs, leading Pakistan to their highest fourth-innings total while chasing a target. Shafiq’s brilliance was a standout on that memorable day.
In that same series, during the second Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Azhar Ali struck a remarkable double century for Pakistan in the first innings, amassing 205 runs and helping his team declare at a formidable total of 443 for 9.
However, despite this outstanding performance by Pakistan and Azhar Ali, Australia responded with an equally impressive total of 624 for 8, ultimately defeating Pakistan by an innings and 18 runs.
During Pakistan’s 2019 tour of Australia, Yasir Shah stood out with a remarkable century against the formidable Australian bowling attack in the second Test at Adelaide. Despite his valiant effort of scoring 113 runs, Pakistan ultimately lost the match.
Shan Masood, the newly appointed captain of the Pakistan cricket team following Babar Azam’s resignation from all formats, faces the daunting task of breaking the team’s losing streak in Australia. While Pakistan may not boast a bowling attack as formidable as that of the legendary Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar, their younger bowlers have the potential to give the Aussies a tough time.
Shaheen Afridi spearheads the bowling attack alongside Hasan Ali, while new bowlers Khurram Shahzad, Aamer Jamal, and Mir Hamza will be eager to prove their mettle against the Australian batting lineup.
On the batting front, Pakistan possesses a decent lineup, but Babar Azam will be under immense pressure after his struggles in the World Cup. Pakistani fans will be eagerly anticipating runs from their favorite batsman, while other batters like Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, and Agha Salman will be looking to make a mark. Shan Masood, despite his underwhelming batting average, may also find his form under the captaincy’s mantle.
