Pakistan captain Misbah ul-Haq has hit the fastest fifty in the history of Test Match cricket against Australia in the Second Test at Abu Dhabi.
Coming in at 3/152 in the second innings after the dismissal of in-form batsman Younis Khan (46), Ul-Haq took to the spin of Steve Smith immediately, hitting his first ball for a smashing boundary over mid-off.
The next ball Misbah was dropped by Peter Siddle. Lashing out again the captain spooned it up to Siddle at cover who was in a good position, but let the ball slip through both hands.
Mitchell Marsh only gave away one run in three balls, leaving ul-Haq to face Smith in the 46th over. Batting partner Ali Azar swept a single on the leg-side and Misbah opened up. Hitting 3 sixes and a boundary, ul-Haq raced to 28 runs from 10 balls as Smith continued to throw the ball up.
Jacques Kallis took 24 deliveries against Zimbabwe in setting the previous target, so Misbah was on track early on. He continued the free-flowing shots next over, dispatching Marsh for 10 runs from 3 balls.
Michael Clarke continued with Steve Smith and ul-Haq again dispatched the part-timer, this time for 11 runs. Cutting for a double, confidently reverse-sweeping for a triple and launching a six from the final ball of the over took the Pakistan captain to 49-runs off 18 balls.
Mitchell Starc was brought on to replace Marsh and will have his name in the record book as the bowler delivering the record ball to ul-Haq. Facing two dot balls before whipping the ball through the leg-side for a triple, ul-Haq raised his bat in recognition of a jubilant home crowd.
50 runs from 21 balls beats the previous record of 24 held by South African champion Jacques Kalllis. Misbah no-doubt reflecting the confidence of a captain about to claim a clean-sweep in the series against Australia in this impressive and agressive display of power batting.
