Pakistan’s Shan Masood breaks world record

Pakistan super star Test batsman Shan Masood has broken the world record of highest average in 50-over game.

He achieved this unique feat during the National One Day Cup when he smashed an unbeaten 182 while batting for Islamabad against Rawalpindi.

That innings helped his team reach 380-2 but it was a far from a comfortable win as Rawalpindi made 367-9 from their allotted quota of overs in the semi-final clash. Masood’s effort, which helped Islamabad qualify for the final, was special for another reason.

The left-handed batsman now averages 58.2 in 50-over cricket – the highest in List A games in history, overtaking the great Michael Bevan’s tally of 15,103 runs in 427 matches at an average of 57.86.

Masood has admittedly played fewer matches – 71 – but his run this season has been stupendous nonetheless. The left-handed batsman has also become only the second batsman in history to score more than 1,000 runs in a 50-over season at an average of more than 100.

Masood’s returns this season are 1,237 runs at an average of 137.44, with Bevan the only other batsman to achieve similar numbers – 1,201 runs at an average of 109.18 in 2000.