Pakistani opener Shan Masood joins elite list with century in England

MANCHESTER: Pakistani Opener Shan Masood added another feather to his cap as he became the first Pakistani opener in the 21^st century to score a ton on English soil.

Shan Masood showcased great resilience against England’s lethal pace attack in the first Test match to register his 4th Test century. Masood reached triple figures by running two off James Anderson.

Shan Masood is the first Pakistan opener in 24 years to score a century in England. Saeed Anwar (176) was the last Pakistani opener to score a century in England, Oval 1996. #ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/mcz1qsWK1e

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 6, 2020

Last Pakistani opener to reach three figures in England was Saeed Anwar who scored 176 at the Oval Test in 1996. He also became the first opener after Saeed Anwar in 1996 to face 200+ balls in a Test innings in England.

The left-handed batsman is the first overseas opener to score a century in the first innings of a Test in England since 2015. Last player to score a ton in 1^st innings was Australia’s Chris Rogers.

Additionally, this was Masood’s third consecutive three-figure innings, which makes him the sixth Pakistani batsmen to do so after Zaheer Abbas, Mudassar Nazar, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, and Misbah-ul-Haq.

Three consecutive 100s in Tests for Pakistan

Zaheer Abbas in 1982-83
Mudassar Nazar in 1983@yousaf1788 in 2006@YounusK75 in 2014@captainmisbahpk in 2014@shani_official in 2019-20#ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/cHGsvKsENE

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 6, 2020

The 30-year-old wasn’t very aggressive during the course of his knock. Wickets kept tumbling at the other end but Masood wasn’t ready to put his guards down.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has never lost a Test match when an opener has scored a century in England.