Fawad Alam becomes fastest Pakistan batsman to reach five Test tons
Aug 23, 2021
Kingston [Jamaica], August 23 : Fawad Alam has become the fastest Pakistan batsman to register five Test hundreds.
Fawad achieved the feat in the ongoing second Test against West Indies on Sunday (local time).
The left-handed batsman scored his fifth Test ton only in his 22nd innings. Former Pakistan skipper Younis Khan was the fastest from the country before Fawad broke his record.
Younis had scored his first five Test tons in 28 innings while Saleem Malik achieved a similar feat in 29 innings.
Fawad also became the sixth Pakistan batsman to score a century at Sabina Park, joining Imtiaz Ahmed (122 in 1958), Wazir Mohammad (106 in 1958), Asif Iqbal (135 in 1977), Younis Khan (106 in 2005) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (117 not out in 2005).
In reaching his century, the 35-year-old left-hander also became the quickest Asian batsman to five Test centuries in 22 innings, eclipsing Cheteshwar Puraja (24 innings) and Sourav Ganguly and Sunil Gavaskar (both achieved in 25 innings).
On day three of the second Test, Fawad defied West Indies bowlers to record his fifth Test hundred before left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi snatched a brace of wickets to rock the hosts' top order.
Pakistan converted their overnight 212-4 into 302-9, before declaring 35 minutes after tea on Sunday.
The left-handed Fawad struck an unbeaten 124, resuming his innings on 76 after retiring from heat exhaustion, 20 minutes after tea on Friday's opening day.
Mohammad Rizwan made 31 and Faheem Ashraf got 26 as Pakistan lost five wickets for 90 runs, with fast bowlers Jayden Seales (3-31) and Kemar Roach (3-68) finishing with three scalps apiece, and Jason Holder supporting with 2-46.
Faced with 27 overs at the back end of the final session, West Indies closed at 39-3 for at the close - 263 runs adrift in the first innings with two days left in the match.
