The batsman wearing the number 11 jersey on the cricket field is normally the one who makes the least impact. He is generally regarded as a tail-ender and his sole responsibility is to last a bit while the other batsmen keep on adding runs to the score.
But on some rare occasions, the last batsmen have altered the course of the match with their remarkable batting performances and thus, surprised everyone. Recently, Kagiso Rabada was instrumental in South Africa’s forcing a lead over Pakistan in a Test match through his courageous fifty.
With that said, here’s a review of the top 5 highest scores made by number 11 batters in Test cricket history.
5. Kagiso Rabada – 71 vs Pakistan, Rawalpindi, 2025
Kagiso Rabada, the awesome bowler of South Africa, has recently made a mark by scoring 71 runs in the 11th position against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, and thus, becoming part of the elite list. At the 306/9 position, he made a grand 98-run association for the last wicket, which took the Proteas’ total to 404.
Among his runs, Rabada scored 4 boundaries and 4 sixes at a 116.39 strike rate. Rabada’s innings not only added runs to the total of South Africa but also confirmed the constant rise of bowlers who are able to bat well.
4. Zaheer Khan – 75 vs Bangladesh, Dhaka, 2004
The one and only Zaheer Khan, the pace of legend India, did not just show that the end of the batting can also serve as a support but he actually led the way coming from that side. Zaheer scored 75 runs from the number 11 position while he was being supported by Sachin Tendulkar who scored an unbeaten 248 runs.
Khan and Tendulkar shared a 133-run partnership for the last wicket which enabled India to declare at 526 runs in reply to Bangladesh‘s first innings total of 184.
3. James Anderson – 81 vs India, Nottingham, 2014
The veteran pacer of England, James Anderson is more famous for his swinging ability than for hitting. But in the year 2014 during a match at Nottingham, the bowler proved that his bat could also make a big difference in the total score of the team.
He scored 81 runs off 130 balls at number 11, thus, he was very well supported by another tail-ender Stuart Broad, and together they made the Indian bowlers very frustrated. The partnership brought the England total to 496 in response to India’s 457 in the first inning. Nonetheless, the game was drawn.
2. Tino Best – 95 vs England, Birmingham, 2012
Tino Best, a fast bowler from West Indies, was always acknowledged for his speed, but not his batting skills. During the Birmingham Test in 2012, however, he lived up to the expectation of what he could do and scored 95 runs at the very last position.
He joined the team when the situation was very difficult—283/9— and his support together with Denesh Ramdin’s helped the West Indies end up with 426, thus escaping a complete disaster of a team collapse. Even though England replied with 221/5 in the second inning, the match ended in a draw due to insufficient time.
1. Ashton Agar – 98 vs England, Nottingham, 2013
This is a typical “tail-ender hero” story. The Australian left-arm spinner Ashton Agar was sent in to bat at number 11 during the 2013 Ashes series at Nottingham and stunned everyone by scoring 98 runs from 101 balls with 12 fours and 2 sixes.
Agar was very close to making a century on his debut and helped Australia progress to a respectable score of 280 runs in reply to England’s 215 runs from the first inning. His calmness, smart shot selection, and ability to withstand the pressure created this innings’ home.
Fans still talk about Agar’s near-century as one of the greatest tail-end performances ever.
