A young batter has smashed one of the fastest centuries in first-class cricket history. Shahzad reached his hundred in just 49 balls.

The knock broke Misbah-ul-Haq’s record of a 56-ball century set in 2014. Shahzad finished with 114 runs off 62 balls.

It is now the eighth-fastest first-class hundred on record. The innings included a flurry of boundaries that left the fielding side stunned.

Fast scoring in the longer format is rare. Most first-class centuries take well over 100 balls, making this feat stand out.

Shahzad’s aggressive approach has drawn praise from former players. Coaches say such innings can change the course of a match in a single session.

The record books will remember this as one of the great counter-attacking knocks in domestic cricket.

Misbah’s 56-ball hundred had stood as the record for 12 years. The new mark cuts seven balls off that record. Such scoring rates are almost unheard of in the longer format, where patience is usually prized.