There was a time when scoring runs for a lower-order batsman wasn’t as normalised as it has been lately. Technically the player batting at No. 8 was not considered a batsman as mostly they would be the bowlers who can swing the bat enough to stay at the crease and support their fellow partner.
Well, now times have changed. We have seen some magnificent innings hit by players who bat in the second half of the teams’ batting lineup.
Here in this article, we will focus on the No. 8 batters who scored pleasingly. Following is the list of batsmen with the highest score as a No.8 batsman in Test cricket.
Highest Test Scores by No. 8 Batters
| Player | Score (Balls) | 4s/6s | Against | Venue | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wasim Akram (PAK) | 257* (363) | 22/12 | Zimbabwe | Sheikhupura | 17 Oct 1996 |
| Imtiaz Ahmed (PAK) | 209 (NA) | 28/0 | New Zealand | Lahore | 26 Oct 1955 |
| Jason Holder (WI) | 202* (229) | 23/8 | England | Bridgetown | 23 Jan 2019 |
| Kamindu Mendis (SL) | 164 (237) | 16/6 | Bangladesh | Sylhet | 22 Mar 2024 |
| Kamran Akmal (PAK) | 154 (237) | 14/0 | England | Lahore | 29 Nov 2005 |
| Mahmudullah (BAN) | 150* (278) | 17/1 | Zimbabwe | Harare | 7 Jul 2021 |
| MS Dhoni (IND) | 144 (175) | 10/5 | West Indies | Eden Gardens | 14 Nov 2011 |
| Daniel Vettori (NZ) | 140 (189) | 16/0 | Sri Lanka | Colombo (SSC) | 26 Aug 2009 |
| James Neesham (NZ) | 137* (154) | 20/0 | India | Wellington | 14 Feb 2014 |
| Imran Khan (PAK) | 135* (230) | 14/5 | India | Chennai | 3 Feb 1987 |
Key Insights
Wasim Akram has smashed the highest individual score as a No. 8 batter in a Test innings. He scored an unbeaten 257 against Zimbabwe in the second innings of the 1996 Sheikhupura Test.
Along the way, Akram stitched a 313-run stand with Saqlain Mushtaq, the second highest for the eighth wicket in Tests.
Akram’s unbeaten 257 is also the highest score by a captain batting at No. 8 in a Test innings. Jason Holder is the other skipper to bring up a double at No. 8. The tall all-rounder racked up 202 not out against England in the 2019 Barbados Test.
Akram hammered 12 sixes in his knock, the most by a batter in a Test innings.
Imtiaz Ahmed, on the other hand, scored the most fours as a No. 8 batter in Test innings. He smashed 28 fours in his 209-run knock against New Zealand in the 1955 Lahore Test.
Ahmed’s 209 is the highest score by a wicketkeeper at No. 8. He was, in fact, the first batter to score a double ton from this position.
James Neesham has logged the highest Test score by a No. 8 batter on debut. The New Zealand all-rounder scored an unbeaten 134 against India in the third innings of the 2014 Wellington Test.
Daniel Vettori has scored the fastest Test hundred at No. 8. He took 82 balls to bring up his century against Zimbabwe in the 2005 Harare Test. Vettori eventually fell on 127 off 98 balls.
In all, Vettori scored four Test centuries at No. 8, the joint most by a batter. Ravichandran Ashwin is the other one with four Test hundreds at No. 8.
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