By Qaiser Mohammad Ali
IANS
Dhaka : Bangladesh vice-captain Mohammad Ashraful Sunday broke the 112-year-old record for the fastest half-century in Test cricket when he reached his 50 in just 27 minutes on the third day of the second and final Test against India here.
England John Thomas Brown had smashed his half-century in 28 minutes during the fifth Test against Australia in Melbourne in March 1895. Brown went on to score 140 as England won by six wickets to clinch the series 3-2.
Right-handed Ashraful went after the Indian bowlers in the second innings even as Bangladesh had conceded a 492-run lead to India in the first innings.
Ashraful was eventually out for 67 (41 balls, 12x4s, 2x6s) as Sachin Tendulkar at short mid wicket caught him off leg-spinner Anil Kumble.
Jacques Kallis of South Africa holds the record for the fastest half-century in terms of balls faced. He achieved that feat against Zimbabwe in Cape Town in 2004-05.