Last Updated on 1 month by Charbel Coorey

There is an interesting fact when it comes to run chases in Tests at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. No team has ever successfully chased over 200 and only once has a team chased over 100.

In this article, we’ll look at the top five highest successful run chases achieved at this ground, looking at the context behind the matches.

Wankhede Stadium Mumbai: List of highest successful run chases in Test cricket

164/6 by South Africa vs. India, 2000

South Africa’s 164/6 remains the only successful chase of over 100 at Wankhede Stadium. Led by Hansie Cronje, South Africa won a shootout on a difficult batting pitch, overcoming Sachin Tendulkar’s superb 97 and a first innings deficit of 49 to win.

Allan Donald (2/24), Shaun Pollock (4/24) and Cronje (3/23) dismantled India for just 113 in the second innings, leaving 164 to win. At 107/2, a comfortable Proteas win seemed inevitable, before three quick wickets put India right in the game.

However, Jacques Kallis (36* off 129 balls) and Mark Boucher (27* off 32 balls) led South Africa to victory and a 1-0 lead in a series they went on to win 2-0.

98/0 by England vs. India, 1980

The great Ian Botham produced a performance for the ages. He took 13 wickets (6/58 and 7/48) and struck 114 in the first innings to hand England a 54-run lead.

Botham’s seven-for in the second innings was the catalyst of an Indian collapse. They fell to 58/6, with Kapil Dev’s 45* helping the hosts reach 149. It still wasn’t anywhere near enough as Graham Gooch (49*) and Geoffrey Boycott (43*) sealed a comfortable England win.

58/0 by England vs. India, 2012

One of England’s most memorable wins. On a sharp turner, Kevin Pietersen produced a stunning 186 in partnership with Alastair Cook (122). No other England batter crossed 30 as they managed 413, taking a strong 86-run lead after India posted 327.

Then, Monty Panesar (6/81) and Graeme Swann (4/43) took over. They spun a web around India’s batting lineup, with only Gautam Gambhir (65) and R Ashwin (11) crossing double figures in their score of 142.

Cook (18*) and Nick Compton (30*) saw England home without fuss. This victory levelled things up at 1-1 – a series England would go on to win 2-1.

51/2 by India vs. England, 1984

At 218/6 in response to England’s 195, the 1984 Wankede Test seemed evenly poised. However, Ravi Shastri (142) and Syed Kirmani (102) had other ideas, combining for a huge 235-run stand for the seventh wicket to put the match in India’s hands.

After India struck 465/8d, England needed a huge effort to set a decent total for India to chase. Mike Gatting (136), Graeme Fowler (55) and Paul Downton (62) resisted, but the second innings total of 317 left India needing just 51. After two early hiccups, Dilip Vengsarkar (21*) and Mohinder Amarnath (22*) led the hosts to a 1-0 lead.

47/0 by Australia vs. India, 2001

Australia sealed their 16th straight Test win after brushing aside India in the first Test in 2001. After dismissing India for just 176 courtesy mainly of Shane Warne (4/47) and Glenn McGrath (3/19), centuries to Matthew Hayden (119) and Adam Gilchrist (122) took Australia to 349.

In response, Sachin Tendulkar hit his second fifty of the match, but it was not enough as India managed just 219. It left Australia needing just 47, which Hayden and Michael Slater knocked off in just seven overs.

Life seemed so good for the Australians, until the next Test at Eden Gardens, of course…