Virender Sehwag’s long-standing record falls as Pakistan Test captain storms to 177-ball double century

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood entered the record books on Monday, smashing a record-fast double century in the ongoing President’s Trophy Grade-I 2025/26. The knock not only set a new national benchmark but also eclipsed Virender Sehwag’s long-standing record on Pakistan soil.

On the opening day of the four-day red-ball match in Karachi, Masood, playing for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, scored a 177-ball double hundred against Sahir Associates.

Put in to bat first, SNGPL lost opener Azan Awais for 53 before Masood took charge, forging a mammoth 390-run second-wicket partnership with Ali Zaryab (192). The stand was the ninth-highest for any wicket in Pakistan. Zaryab agonisingly missed out on a double century after facing 237 balls, but Masood carried on after his dismissal and completed the milestone. He ended Day 1 unbeaten on 212 off 185 balls, striking at 114.59.

SNGPL ended Day 1 at 460 for 2 from 82.1 overs, going at nearly six runs per over.

With the knock, Masood broke Sehwag’s 19-year-old record to claim the fastest first-class double century in Pakistan. The former India opener had reached the mark in 182 balls during the opening Test of the 2006 tour at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, eventually scoring 254.

Masood also surpassed the national record for the fastest first-class double hundred by a Pakistani. Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq previously held the mark, having struck a 188-ball double century for Pakistanis against Oxford and Cambridge Universities in 1992.

This was Masood’s second first-class double century this year. Two months earlier, he had scored 250 for Karachi Blues against Abbottabad. Overall, the left-hander now has five double hundreds in first-class cricket.

Masood has enjoyed an outstanding 2025 in red-ball cricket, finishing the year with 1,564 runs from 25 innings at an average of 71.1. Of those, 397 runs came in international matches, where he averaged 39.70 across 10 innings, including a century and three fifties.