5 Instances where teams came back from behind to win the Test series
Winning a Test series after coming from behind always makes it an absorbing affair and out of 40 such instances where a team has won a series after trailing in the history of the game, we pick the top five.
5. Sri Lanka beat Pakistan 2-1 in 3-game series in Pakistan in 1995-96
This was Sri Lanka’s first-ever away series against an Asian opponent and also only the second away series win since they started playing Tests in 1982. And it came in the most thrilling fashion for Arjuna Ranatunga’s men as they clinched the series despite losing the first game.
The first Test in Peshawar was a completely one-sided affair with Rameez Raja’s home team winning it by an innings and 40 runs after forcing a follow-on over the Lankans. But Ranatunga’s squad was fast to correct its course and came back strongly in Faisalabad, banking on magnificent centuries from Hasan Tillakaratne and Aravinda de Silva and a solid bowling performance from the bowlers led by Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas.
Sri Lanka conceded a first inning lead of 110 runs but came back strongly in the second innings by an undeterred batting performance from de Silva, Chandika Hathurusinghe and even from the lower order. Pakistan required 252 runs to win the series but were bowled out for 209 by the Vaas-Muralidharan-Kumara Dharmasena troika, losing the match by 42 runs.
It then went down to the third and deciding game in Sialkot. Sri Lanka fared ordinarily yet again, getting bowled out for 232 in their first innings by the Pakistani pacers sans Wasim Akram who missed this Test. But Sri Lankan bowlers more than made up for the batting disappointment by securing an 18 runs lead over Pakistan as the home team got all out for 214. Muralidharan took 4 wickets and was given a great support by de Silva, Dharmasena and Pramodya Wickremasinghe.
The visitors grabbed this chance and led by skipper Ranatunga (87), declared after posting a respectable 338 for the loss of 9 wickets, setting a target of 357 for the hosts. Pakistan had a disastrous beginning to the chase, losing 5 for just 15 with the two Lankan seamers running through their batting line-up. Wicketkeeper Moin Khan hit a valiant 117 not out but that was never going to be enough as the next highest score was the extras! Pakistan were scuttled out for 212 with Muralidharan not taking a single wicket, losing the match by 144 runs and gifting the Islanders their first-ever sensational series win in Tests.
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