(Reuters) – Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq belied his reputation as a ponderous batsman by equalling the record for the fastest test century today, reaching the milestone in 56 balls against Australia in Abu Dhabi.
Needing eight runs from two balls, the 40-year-old right-hander hit paceman Mitchell Starc for consecutive boundaries to match West Indies great Viv Richards’s 1986 record against England at St John’s, Antigua.
With Pakistan taking a 309-run first innings lead against a lacklustre Australia, Misbah walked out to bat on the fourth day of the second test under no real pressure and immediately imposed himself upon the opposition, aided by a little luck.
After hitting the first ball he faced from Steve Smith for a boundary, he sliced the next and a running Peter Siddle at cover dropped a shoulder-high catch.
Misbah did not look back after that and took just 21 balls to complete his half century, bettering Jacques Kallis’s record 24-ball fifty against Zimbabwe in Cape Town in 2005.
The right-hander hit five sixes — including three in one Smith over — and 11 boundaries in his 57-ball knock of 101 when he declared with Pakistan on 293-3 in their second innings at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Like his captain, Azhar Ali also brought up his second century of the match and was not out on 100 when Pakistan set Australia a 603-run victory target.
Pakistan cruised to victory in the opening test in Dubai and are almost certain of securing a first test series victory over Australia for 20 years.
