The Sheikh Zayed Stadium is arguably one of the world's finest cricket grounds located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Established in 2004, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium was built by South African construction company Concor for $23 million.

With a seating capacity of around 20,000, the Abu Dhabi cricket stadium has a large stand at either end, with the areas square of the wicket offering large grass banking for additional seating.

The Sheikh Zayed Stadium staged its first international cricket match, a one-day international (ODI) played between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in April 2006. Pakistan won the match by six wickets.

Four years later, it later hosted its first T20 international played between Afghanistan and Scotland during an ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in February 2010.

Few months later, it hosted its first Test match that involved Pakistan and South Africa. The match ended in a draw. Since then, it has staged 15 Tests at this venue in men’s cricket. 

Let’s have a look at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium Test records and stats:

Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi Test records and stats

Highest total

The England cricket team holds the record for the highest total at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Test cricket. During the first Test of England’s tour of the United Arab Emirates in 2015, the Alastair Cook-led visitors posted a huge total of 598/9d in their first innings against Pakistan. Captain Alastair Cook led from the front as he slammed 263, along with contributions from Joe Root (85), Ian Bell (63) and Ben Stokes (57) to help England register a record Test total at the venue. Earlier, Pakistan scored 523/8d in their first innings before they were bundled out for 173 in their second innings. The Abu Dhabi Test later ended in a draw.

Lowest total

England registered the lowest total at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Tests. Chasing 145 in the fourth innings, England were skittled out for 72 in 36.1 overs by Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in 2012. Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman was the wrecker-in-chief for Pakistan as he picked up six wickets for 25 runs. For England, captain Andrew Strauss top-scored with 32. Earlier, Pakistan managed 257 in their first innings before bowling out England for 327. Pakistan scored 214 in their second innings to set-up a target of 145. Pakistan won the Test by 72 runs and later clinched the three-match series 3-0.

Most runs

Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali scored the most runs at this ground in cricket’s longest format. The right-handed batter has accumulated 1,086 runs in 11 Test matches at an impressive average of 57.15. Azhar Ali has also slammed three hundreds and eight fifties at this venue in Test cricket. His former teammate Misbah-ul-Haq is second on the list with 994 runs in nine Test matches at a staggering average of 99.40.

Most wickets

Former Pakistan cricketer Yasir Shah picked up the most wickets at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Test cricket. Between 2014 and 2018, the leg-spinner bagged 46 wickets in seven matches at an average of 23.54. He claimed two four-wicket hauls and three fifers at this venue in Tests. Compatriot Zulfiqar Babar features second on the list with 22 wickets in five Tests.

Highest individual score

AB de Villiers registered the highest individual score at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Tests. Batting at number five, the former South African batter scored 278 not out against Pakistan in the first innings of the second Test in November 2010. His magnificent double century was laced with 23 fours and six maximums to help South Africa post a huge total of 584/9d . The match later ended in a draw.

Best bowling figures in an innings

Afghanistan cricketer Rashid Khan recorded the best bowling figures in an innings of a Test at this venue in 2021. The star leg-spinner registered brilliant figures of 7/137 to help bowl out Zimbabwe for 365 in their second innings. Rashid Khan dismissed Kevin Kasuza, Tarisai Musakanda, Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Regis Chakabva, Donald Tiripano and Victor Nyauchi. Afghanistan rode on Rashid’s sensational bowling performance to win the Test by six wickets. 

Best bowling figures in a match

Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath holds the record for the best bowling figures in a Test match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. The former left-arm spinner took 11 wickets during the first Test of Pakistan’s tour of the United Arab Emirates in 2017. While Herath took five wickets for 93 runs in the first innings, he scalped another six wickets for just 43 runs in the second innings. Herath’s incredible bowling performance powered Sri Lanka to a 21-run victory in Abu Dhabi. Rashid Khan also scalped 11 wickets against Zimbabwe in March 2021.

Highest partnership

Afghanistan’s Hashmatullah Shahidi and former captain Asghar Afghan recorded the highest partnership at this ground in Test cricket. Hashmatullah Shahidi and Asghar Afghan forged a massive 307-run stand for the fourth wicket in their first innings of the second Test against Zimbabwe in 2021. Shahidi scored unbeaten 200 while Afghan was dismissed for 164. Afghanistan won the Abu Dhabi Test by six wickets. 

Photo credit: Alamy

Having batted his way patiently for 85 balls, Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali had weathered the early storm and gotten his eye in, in the first inning of the rain-hit second Test against England at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.

But right when it looked like the veteran batsman could finally end his slump, he edged one off a James Anderson delivery low to Rory Burns who was fielding at second slip, walking back after adding just 20 to his team’s score. Thus continued Ali’s dismal run outside Asia with the bat, raising further questions about his ability to help the Pakistani side.

In a downward spiral

Ali’s captaincy has been a topic of debate after Pakistan wasted their chance to beat England in the first Test at Old Trafford, as the hosts rallied from 117/5 to chase down 277 and win by three wickets. 

• England vs Pakistan: Three things we learned from Old Trafford Test

However, his form with the bat has been even more concerning.

Since the start of 2018, Ali has batted in 19 innings outside the sub-continent and scored just one 50, which came in May 2018 against England at Lord’s in Pakistan’s nine-wicket victory over the hosts.

Outside of that half-century, the 35-year-old has scored 182 in 18 innings at a dismal average of 10.11. Of those 18 times, Ali has reached double figures only six times.

Azhar Ali's pedestrian form in Tests outside Asia continues. His last 50-plus score came in May, 2018. Is it an alarming sign for Pakistan going forward? #CricketForAll | #ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/Ehn3qkbCYu

�?Cricingif (@_cricingif) August 13, 2020

The Pakistan captain also holds the record for most single-digit scores by an Asian top-order batsman outside the subcontinent. Ali has 25 single-digit scores in 74 innings outside Asia, meaning he records a single-digit score once every three innings.

At 35, Ali isn’t a spring chicken either. His form has been dwindling for quite some time and it is only getting worse with every passing inning that he bats for Pakistan.

Both, Abid Ali and Babar Azam have shown grit during this ongoing Test series against England, however, Azhar has been a liability for his side with the bat and his captaincy doesn’t inspire much confidence either.

Ali needs to show up for his side and soon, because time may be running out for the 35-year-old to salvage his international career.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dan Mullan

An ecstatic sixth-wicket stand of 139 between Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes was enough for England to cruise out of the misery as they registered an impressive three-wicket win over Pakistan in the first Test at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Pakistan had dominated the game right from the proceedings, but all the hard work was undone by two poor sessions. With England reeling down at 117/5 while chasing 277, the game looked well and truly in the visitor’s kitty. At this moment of time, England needed a stern partnership, which was duly delivered by the likes of Buttler and Woakes, and hitting at 4.21 an over, the pair turned the game on its head. 

With England now leading the three-match Test series 1-0, we look back at three things we learned from the first Test.

Buttler good with the bat, but struggling with gloves

Wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler admitted after the game that if he had taken his chances during Pakistan’s second innings, England would have wrapped the game quite early.

Buttler’s wicketkeeping skills have time and again been thrown under in the air, and the case was further strengthened when he dropped Shaan Masood before missing a glorious stumping opportunity in the first innings. The opener duly capitalized on given opportunity by scoring a career-best 156, which took Pakistan to 326.

In roughly one billion years, the sun will evaporate the Earth’s oceans, rendering our planet uninhabitable and ostensibly meaning the end of life on Earth.

The following day, Jos Buttler will still be picked for the England Test team based on his potential #ENGvPAK

�?Sean (@SeanBcricket) August 5, 2020

The 29-year-old was clearly struggling on the field, but that was partly down to the fact that his father had been admitted to hospital on Friday, although he has since been discharged. However, regardless of the personal troubles, Buttler has scuffled on more occasions, having scored past thirty 34 times in 79 attempts. In a total of 80 innings in 45 Tests, he has a solitary century to his name.

Anderson’s wait continues

Ahead of the Old Trafford Test, pacer James Anderson was 11 wickets shy of becoming the first pacer to reach the 600-wicket mark in Test cricket. Four days and a win later, he remains 10 wickets away from reaching the landmark.

Anderson alongside Stuart Broad has enjoyed a great success against Pakistan’s top order in the past, and while Broad was at his brilliant best, Anderson struggled to pick wickets. It’s not that Anderson bowled poorly, it’s just that he was unable to find a breakthrough especially after lunch on days one and two.

The recently turned 38-year-old, in fact, bowled fewer overs than Dom Bess, leading to the suggestion that whether he should be rested for the second Test.

With 3/54 and 3/37, Broad was England’s best bowler in both innings, which was enough to overshadow a rare day-off from Anderson. Despite being 38, Anderson still looks at his peak, but time surely isn’t at his side. With the likes of Woakes, Broad, Jofra Archer, and Mark Wood making up an excellent pace attack, will Anderson’s absence really hurt England?

Is Azhar Ali the one to be blamed?

Pakistan had dominated a majority part of the game, yet slumped to defeat. Heading into the game, questions were raised about Azhar Ali’s captaincy. The onus was on him to take his side back to the winning ways for the first time since they visited England two years ago.

Pakistan losing the match can partly go down to the fact that the team hasn’t played cricket in months, while England were carrying out a momentum following their 2-1 series win over the West Indies. Pakistan were truly a class apart in the first innings with both the bat and ball, but the defeat will go down as one under Azhar Ali and his prowess of managing the bowlers. Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram voiced his concern over the same, and while reacting to defeat, he said, 

“Winning and losing is part of cricket, but I think our captain missed a trick quite a few times in this game, as far as his leadership is concerned,�?Akram told Sky Sports.

Azhar Ali hasn't been having the best of days outside Asia

Are these worrying times for Pakistan fans? #CricketForAll | #ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/zHjappACq0

�?Cricingif (@_cricingif) August 7, 2020

“When Woakes came in, there were no bouncers, no short deliveries, they let him settle down and runs were coming easy.

“Once the partnership got going, nothing happened - the turn didn’t happen, swing didn’t happen - and Buttler and Woakes just took the game away.�?/span>

“We’ve got a 17-year-old (Naseem), who bowls 90mph, a 20-year-old (Shaheen Afridi), who is around 88mph, and they should be bowling a lot more overs - 18-20 overs each innings, no matter the situation.�?/span>

There were indeed a few questionable decisions made during the game. When England were still 21 runs away, Azhar brought Shadab Khan in action knowing that the batsman on the crease, Stuart Broad, had struggled against pace and not the spin.

But at the end of the day, it’s easy to blame Azhar Ali and the decisions he made, but the fact remains that nothing can be taken away from the partnership of Buttler and Woakes.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dan Mullan

Pakistan captain Azhar Ali is confident Babar Azam will show he is one of the world's leading batsmen in the Test series against England.

The 25-year-old Babar has a fine career Test average of 45.12 from 26 matches heading into the first of a three-match campaign against England at Old Trafford on Wednesday. 

But his figures during the past two years suggest he is approaching the prime of his career.

Babar's five Test hundreds have all come since the start of 2018, during which time he has scored 1,375 runs in 15 matches at a hugely impressive average of 65.47. 

Babar is top of the global Twenty20 batting rankings, third in the one-day standings and sixth in the Test list.

• England delay Stokes decision ahead of Pakistan opening Test

Azhar, asked if the England series would see Babar join Australia's Steve Smith and India's Virat Kohli in the top bracket of Test batsmen, told British media: "I think he is right up there already.

"People are thinking and talking about it. He is just hungry for runs and I think if he keeps doing that he will be up there for quite a long time.

"His performances have improved massively in Test matches over the last year or so. Firstly, he was performing really well in white-ball cricket and people thought he was only a white-ball player but he took on that challenge and played with a lot of freedom and flair."

'Free from pressure'

Azhar, anxious not to pile too much pressure on to Babar, said he wanted the batsman to relax and play his natural game.

"He is a very important player for us but I would like him to be free from any pressure and just enjoy his game," said the skipper.

Pakistan could also do with runs from Azhar, who knows English conditions well from his time with Somerset, and Asad Shafiq.

The two batsmen have scored just two hundreds each in 18 Tests since the veteran pair of Misbah-ul-Haq, now Pakistan's coach, and Younis Khan retired in 2017.

Azhar told Pakistan media that while he was "not happy with my batting", he was working hard to make sure he lived up to his responsibilities as captain.

Pakistan have named a 16-man squad for the first Test, which will be played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus.

They have the option to play three pacemen in Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Abbas, together with two spinners in Yasir Shah and Shadab Khan.

The combined ages of Naseem (17) and Afridi (20) are lower than that of England leading Test-wicket taker James Anderson, who recently turned 38. 

"They are very talented, obviously not as experienced as some of the bowling attacks that have come to England in the past, but potentially they are right up there," said Azhar of the young bowlers.

"Naseem is a young talent who came up and played Test cricket from nowhere.

"He's impressed all of us and is in our number one bowling attack.... Over time he will get the experience he needs. 

"In terms of his potential, he is very threatening and hopefully he will be very good for us in this series."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Aamir Qureshi

Days after getting better of the West Indies in a three-match Test series, England are all set to lock horns with Pakistan in the longest format, starting August 5.

The tourists are on a good run of form against their opponents, having won two of their last four Test series contested, while the other two ended in a draw. England meanwhile, are still seeking their first series win over Pakistan in a decade, and thus, a lot will be at stake when the two sides take to the pitch in the first Test at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

• All you need to know about the 1st Test between England and Pakistan

That said, we look at two players from each team who are certain to be in the spotlight.

Joe Root

England skipper Joe Root returned to the Test setup after personal reasons forced him out of the first game against the West Indies, which England lost by four wickets. He didn’t have a great impact in the second Test, but made up for it with an unbeaten 68 off just 56 balls in the final game as England clinched the series 2-1.

Root has registered an unwanted record in his career as England captain. On the final day of the second Test against the West Indies, Root threw his wicket for an in-form Ben Stokes, and that was followed by another run-out in the final Test, which made him the English Test captain with most run-out dismissals.

• Five great England-Pakistan flare-ups

It is certain that this is something the England captain would like to work upon as the Pakistan series looms. On the other hand, with 22 Test victories in his kitty already, a clean sweep against Pakistan would make Root England's second-most successful Test captain after Michael Vaughan (26). 

James Anderson

Despite being 38, right-arm pacer James Anderson has enjoyed a great run of form of late and there’s another milestone awaiting him as he gears up to face Pakistan in the first Test. Duly expected to spearhead England’s bowling attack at Old Trafford, Anderson is just 11 wickets shy of becoming the first pacer to reach the 600-wicket mark in the longest format of the game. 

Anderson, alongside Stuart Broad, has enjoyed great success against Pakistan’s top order.  The pair picked 18 wickets between them in the 2018 series. One more wicket and the the duo will become the second-most deadly combination in Test cricket with 896 dismissals, after Warne-McGrath pair (1001 wickets).  On a personal front, Anderson has loved playing against Pakistan captain Azhar Ali, having dismissed him seven times in 443 balls since their first meeting in 2010 while conceding a mere 153 runs. 

• Even the PM's a fast bowler: Pakistan cricket's need for speed

Shaheen Shah Afridi

England lost a whopping 20 wickets to left-arm swing during their series against New Zealand and South Africa before facing the West Indies. And this is one of the reasons why they were initially toppled by the Caribbeans, and this is exactly where Pakistan can strike while using their young prodigy Shaheen Shah Afridi. 

Afridi is yet to play against England in the longest format, yet it is safe to say that he remains one of their most lethal weapons. The 20-year-old is just eight Tests old but has picked 30 wickets at 27.96, which includes three four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul. An absolute asset for Pakistan, Afridi will be one to keep a keen eye on.

Azhar Ali

Pakistan captain Azhar Ali hasn’t really enjoyed fruitful outings against England’s pacers, to say the least. The 35-year-old, like his underwhelming form against James Anderson, has struggled against the likes of Stuart Broad and even Chris Woakes, with the former dismissing him six times and the latter getting the better of him on three occasions.

• England wary of slow start against Pakistan

In a hope of making progress in the ICC Test rankings, the skipper will have to lead from the front if he intends to churn out a positive outcome against an in-form England team.

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Feature image courtesy: AFP/ Lindsey Parnaby

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SportsAdda.

Pakistan’s skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed was sacked last week from his post to be replaced by Azhar Ali and Babar Azam in Tests and T20Is respectively. Even his ODI post appears to be in doubt with the Pakistan Cricket board stating that they would make a decision on that later.

It is a major blow for Pakistan’s wicket-keeper batsman who led them to a Champions Trophy triumph in 2017. PCB’s surprising decision came a series after Misbah ul Haq was made the head coach. If indeed the sacking had to come, it probably should have happened before the Sri Lankan series itself.

But has Pakistan really done poorly under Sarfaraz for him to be sacked? Under him, Pakistan became the top T20I nation in the world since the last World T20, with one of the best win percentages until their 0-3 loss to Sri Lanka. Ignoring that record and calling out one series against the Sri Lankan side is poor from the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Consider all formats and all captains and Sarfaraz’s win-loss ration as a skipper is second only to Saleem Malik in Pakistan’s cricket history.

In 100 matches across formats, Sarfaraz led Pakistan to 61 wins while losing just 36 matches. Even greats like Mushtaq Mohammad and Imran Khan had far worse records as captain. In fact, Misbah ul Haq himself had a very poor reign as skipper, losing 60 matches and winning just 77. The win-loss ratio under Sarfaraz is 1.694, second only to Malik’s 2.

Several former greats have come out in support of Sarfaraz Ahmed after his sacking.

Mohsin Khan: “He (Sarfaraz) took Pakistan to number one in T20 cricket and he is a fighter. This is a decision taken in haste and it could also affect the career of Babar.�?/em>

Rashid Latif: “Sarfaraz is not a selfish captain and sacrificed his position many times for the team. He did not deserve this treatment.�?/em>

Moin Khan: “He (Sarfaraz) has shown himself to be a fine captain and yes, he was struggling a bit for form, but when a senior player is under pressure you have to encourage and back him, not dump him like this.�?/em>

His batting credentials also cannot be questioned too much. In Tests since 2016, Sarfaraz has 11 half-centuries, the most alongside Babar Azam and Azhar Ali. While he does not have a hundred, the wicket-keeper’s batting position justifies his handy fifties and an average over 30.

All in all, the keeper was perhaps given a raw deal in yet another fickle call by the PCB.

Read: Pakistan drop Sarfaraz, Malik from Australia tour

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Saeed Khan