'Fantastic' Fawad Alam becomes first Asian to convert his four Test 50s into 100s

• Pakistani ace batsman Fawad Alam has become the first Asian batsman to convert his four Test 50s into 100s in 18 innings.
  
• Alam is also the quickest Pakistani to reach his 4th Test 100.
  
• The star batsman also holds the world record for the most Test centuries among players with a 100% conversion rate.
  

HARARE: Pakistani ace batsman Fawad Alam has achieved another milestone becoming the first Asian batsman to convert his four Test 50s into 100s in 18 innings.

Alam is also the quickest Pakistani to reach his 4th Test 100.

"Fantastic Fawad is the first Asian and sixth batsman overall to convert his first four Test 50s into 100s," the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Twitter after the left-handed batsman scored the century in the first Test against Zimbabwe.

Read more: Indian commentator compares Fawad Alam to an 'old Hindi movie hero'

The star batsman also holds the world record for the most Test centuries among players with a 100% conversion rate. He is followed by Ravi Bopara, with three tons and no half-centuries.

“Fawad Alam is the first batsman in 55 years to convert his Test career's first 4 fifties into hundreds. Last was John Edrich in 1966,” according to cricket statistician Mazher Arshad. 

The 35-year-old left-hander smashed a debut hundred in Sri Lanka in 2009 but was discarded after only two more Test and then had to wait for 10 years and 259 days for his next Test, in England last year.

Read more: Pak vs Zim: Fawad Alam's century helps Pakistan close day with lead of nearly 200 runs

‘Great satisfaction’

In a virtual talk with the media, Alam gave thanks to a higher power for his successful return.

"I was nowhere a few years back, so whatever Almighty has given me I am grateful and this knock is a great satisfaction," said Alam, adding that the slow pitch made scoring difficult.

"The ball was not coming onto the bat but when they took the new ball scoring became much easier and when I came to bat the platform was set by the openers," he said.

Fawad Alam’s fourth Test hundred and second on the trot helped Pakistan end day two of the first Test against Zimbabwe with a lead of close to 200 runs.