Top 5 Briefest Test Matches in Cricket History: India vs South Africa
India’s triumph in the second Test against South Africa at Cape Town on Thursday set several records, most notably marking the shortest completed Test match in the game’s 147-year history, lasting only 642 balls. The match commenced with South Africa being dismissed for 55, thanks to Mohammed Siraj’s exceptional six-wicket performance. However, the Proteas staged a comeback, bowling out India for 153, losing six wickets in just 11 balls without any runs. Jasprit Bumrah then played a crucial role, taking six wickets to restrict South Africa to 176. Team India successfully chased down the target in just 12 overs with seven wickets in hand.
Let’s take a look at the five briefest Test matches in the history of the game that produced a winner:
- 642 balls: India vs. South Africa, 2024 The match at Newlands was the 2,522nd Test in cricket history and became the shortest. With 23 wickets falling on the opening day, the Proteas were bowled out for 55. India, in response, was dismissed for 153, losing their last six wickets for zero runs. Despite Aiden Markram’s century in the second innings, India chased down the target for a seven-wicket win in just 107 overs.
- 656 balls: Australia vs. South Africa, 1935 In a match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, South Africa posted a combined total of 81 runs across both innings, getting all out for 36 and 45. Despite being dismissed for 153 themselves, Australia won by an innings and 72 runs.
- 672 balls: West Indies vs. England, 1935 In a peculiar match in Bridgetown in January 1935, England secured a four-wicket win over the West Indies. Both teams made tactical declarations to exploit bowler-friendly conditions, with England ultimately chasing down a target of 75 after the West Indies declared at 51-6.
- 788 balls: England vs. Australia, 1888 In the 1888 Ashes at Old Trafford, WG Grace’s top score of 38 helped England claim an innings victory as they bowled out Australia for 81 and 70 on a challenging track.
- 792 balls: England vs. Australia, 1888 Just six weeks earlier at Lord’s, Australia beat England by 61 runs in a match where 27 wickets fell on the second day, setting a record for the most wickets in a single day’s Test cricket. England, after being bowled out for 53, failed to chase down the 124-run target, with Charlie Turner taking a five-wicket haul.
