Top 3 batting performances of Saeed Anwar in Tests 

Former Pakistan batter Saeed Anwar was regarded as one of the classiest batters of his era. On his day there was no one better than Saeed Anwar as he could take down any bowling attack on his own. His flicks off his wrist or his ability to play the swivel pull or caress the ball through the off side gave cricket purists too much delight. 

Saeed Anwar made his Test debut for Pakistan during the 1990 home game against West Indies. The talented batter scored a pair as the visitors who were at the height of their dominant best went on to win the game with ease. 

Since then, Saeed Anwar played a total of 55 Test matches for Pakistan and scored 4052 runs. The left-handed batter scored 11 centuries and 25 fifties during his career and had an average of 45.52. His final Test came against Bangladesh in Multan where Saed Anwar 101 off 104 balls with 17 fours and a six. 

Here are the top 3 performances by Saeed Anwar in Test cricket 

3- 169 vs New Zealand – Wellington -1994

Pakistan toured New Zealand and dominated the hosts during the Wellington Test in 1994. Batting first the Kiwis were all out for 175 with Wasim Akram taking 3 wickets while Waqar Younis and Ata Ur Rahman picked 3 wickets. In reply, Pakistan scored a massive 548/5 to take a lead of 373 runs. Saeed Anwar scored a memorable 169 runs which came off 248 balls with 27 fours before he was run out. Saleem Malik and Inzamam scored centuries before the innings were declared. Wasim Akram’s 7/119 saw the hosts bowled out for 361 and lose the game by an innings and 12 runs. 

2- 176 vs England -Oval-1996

Fresh off losing their World Cup crown to Sri Lanka, the Pakistani team toured England for an ODI and Test series. John Crawley’s 106 helped England post a decent score of 326 on the board in their 1st innings. Saeed Anwar then went on the attack as he scored 176 from just 264 balls with hits to the fence before being dismissed by Dominic Cork. Saleem Malik’s century meant that Pakistan finished on 521 with a lead of 195. In their 2nd innings, England were bowled out for 242 with Mushtaq Ahmed taking 6 wickets. Pakistan won the game by 9 wickets as they chased down the target of 48 with ease inside 7 overs. 

1- 188 vs India – Kolkata -1999

The only edition of the Asian Test Championships saw arch-rivals India and Pakistan play each other in Kolkata. In the first Pakistan scored 185 after being reduced to 26/6 at one stage. In reply, India was all out for 223 with opener S. Ramesh scoring 79. It was in the same game that Shoaib Akhtar first announced himself with the wickets of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. Trailing by 38 runs, Pakistan saw Saeed Anwar come to the fore with 188 runs from 259 balls with 23 fours and a six. The next best was 56 by Mohammad Yousuf as Javagal Srinath picked 8/86. Chasing 279 to win, India was all out for 232 to lose by 46 runs with Sachin Tendulkar being run out in controversial circumstances that caused a mini-riot inside the stadium.