Pakistan batsman Shan Masood has capped an incredible year for batsmen in his country’s domestic One Day Cup by attaining the highest average ever recorded in 50-over history.
This year has seen some incredible numbers come out of Pakistan’s One Day Cup. Three days after Islamabad batsman Abid Ali recorded the highest score in Pakistan’s 50-over history during his unbeaten knock of 209 against Peshawar, Test batsman Shan Masood hit 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 that 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 from 427 matches at an average of 57.86.
Masood has admittedly played fewer matches – 71 – but his run this season has been stupendous nonetheless.
Islamabad batsman Abid Ali hits highest 50-over score in Pakistan’s history
The left-handed opening 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.
- 🌟 SHANDAR 🌟
— Multan Sultans #SaadiVaari (@MultanSultans) February 9, 2018
Our superstar @shani_official made 182* (153) at the semi-final of #NationalOneDayCup today.
Here are his recent performances in the tournament. Best of luck for the final, Shan!
Ye hai Sultano ka style 😎#SultanStyle#SultanSquad#Shandar pic.twitter.com/ZdfFgWcD3v
What had boosted Masood’s average this season is three unbeaten centuries – 182, 128 and 100 – in his last 10 matches.
While Masood’s returns are impressive, it must be noted that this season of 50-over cricket in Pakistan has been particularly productive for batsmen. Earlier last month, wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal became only the third Pakistan batsman to hit a double century in List A matches.
Many in Pakistan believe the reason for such prolific run-scoring is vastly different conditions compared to first-class matches.
In the Quaid-e-Azam first-class tournament, green top wickets and Duke balls meant fast bowlers ruled the roost as the average first innings score was 235 – the lowest in the world – and only one batsman scored more than 500 runs at an average of above 50.
But the scenario has changed in one-day cricket with Kookaburra balls and flatter wickets resulting in 13 scores in excess of 300.
