Galle Test match has ended on happy note for Pakistan as men in green managed to pull a Test win in Sri Lanka after nine years. The game saw many striking performances from Pakistan and some of them were rewarded too, such as everyone is talking about the spell of Yasir Shah as he became first Pakistani leg spinner ever to take 6+ wickets in a Test in Sri Lanka. Sarfaraz Ahmed got man of the match award for his quick 96 and vigilant wicket keeping, and the surprise cameo of Zulfiqar Babar with bat where he scored his maiden Test half ton. However, there remain one unsung hero of the match Asad Shafiq who kept the front for the longest time for team Pakistan and in that while scored his seventh Test century. This post is a tribute to that unsung hero.

Most runs for Pakistan in Tests for the 6th wicket #AsadShafiq & .@SarfarazA_54 782 .@ImranKhanPTI & Salim Malik 589 pic.twitter.com/I1fX5O2aSZ

— Media Spring Bubble (@mediaspringB) June 20, 2015

Here is a list of Six Cricketers who scored 7 Test centuries in fewest innings for Pakistan.

Asad Shafiq – 56 Innings

Asad Started his Test career in 2010 against South Africa, tough his first Test century came in 2011 when he scored 104 against Bangladesh. His second Test ton was against Sri Lanka in 2012. In 2013 he scored two Test centuries that too against South Africa. So far he is having great year as in 2015 he has scored three Test centuries so far along with becoming 6th fastest Pakistani to do so.

Mohammad Yousuf – 55 Innings

Just a disclaimer: I’m not a Yousuf fan all thanks to his ICC Test Cricketer of the year 2007 award receiving speech!

Yousuf started his Test career in 1998 during Pakistan tour of South Africa. His first of 24 Test centuries came in 1998 in Lahore against Zimbabwe when he scored 120 runs. In 2000, he scored total four Test centuries two against West Indies and two against England. In 2001 he scored his first Test double hundred during New Zealand tour of Pakistan and later that year he scored his seventh Test century during during Multan Test. In 2009, a Galle Yousuf scored his 24th and last Test century.

Mohsin Hasan Khan- 54 Innings

Mohsin was a stylish batsman but his career was only eight years long, he started his test career in 1978 and scored his first Test century in 1982 against Sri Lanka in Lahore Test. The highest point of his career as test batsman also came in the same year when he scored his only double hundred at Lords. Later that year he scored two more centuries one in October against Australia and other against India in December both of them were in Lahore. In 1983, Mohsin showed his colors again when he scored two test centuries in Australia against Australia during Adelaide Test and Melbourne Test. He scored his last and seventh Test 100 in Lahore against England in 1984. Mohsin played his last Test match in 1986 and ended his test career after a very lean patch.

Ijaz Ahmed – 52 Innings

Ijaz started his test career in 1987 against India in Chennai, however, he scored his first Test 100 a year after in Faisalabad against Australia in 1988. Later in 1988 Ijaz scored another century against Australia this time in Melbourne. After that there was a gap of full five years as in 1995 he scored his third Test century, interestingly against Australia again, during Sydney. In 1996, Ijaz scored two centuries first against England during Hadingly Test and second was against New Zealand during Rawalpindi Test (the famous Pindi test were Pindi boy Mohammad Zahid made his debut and took 11 wickets to become man of the match). In April 1997, Ijaz scored his seventh Test 100 in his 52nd innings he is 3rd fastest Pakistani to score 7 centuries in Test Cricket.

Ijaz scored total 12 Test centuries including a 211 in Dhaka against Sri Lanka in the Final of ‘Asian Test Championship 1999’. He played his last test match in 2001.

Javed Miandad – 50 Innings

The Finest Pakistani batsmen, as per many cricket historians, Javed Miandad started his Test career in 1976 with a bang as he scored massive 163 in his very first Test innings. During the same series against New Zealand he scored his first ever Test double hundred in his hometown. In 1978, Javed scored four Test centuries, 154 against India in Faisalabad Test, 100 against India in Karachi Test, 160 against New Zealand in AMI stadium, and 129 against Australia. He scored his seventh Test century in his 50th Test innings, He scored 106 against Australia at Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad. Javed Miandad is second fastest Pakistani to score seven Test centuries.

Javed scored total 23 test centuries incuding the famous a(and controversial) 280 against India at Niaz Stadium Hyderabad. Interestingly his last test match was at the same venue from where he started his Test cricket career – Gaddafi Stadium Lahore. He score 31 in his last test innings during Lahore Test against Zimbabwe in 1993. Javed Miandad scored 8832 runs and he is the leading test runs scorer for Pakistan.

Shoaib Mohammad – 48 Innings

Shoaib started his test career in 1983, however he scored his first test century in 1987 against India. Then, after two years he scored two centuries against New Zealand during Pakistan tour of New Zealand 1989. In the same year in Lahore Test he scored his best test figures 203 against India (interestingly he scored double hundred twice and both time his total was 203). In 1990 he scored 203 again this time in his home town Karachi against New Zealand. In the same series, Shoaib scored two more centuries one at Lahore and one at Faisalabad. He scored total seven test centuries in 48 innings and he as the fastest Pakistani test cricketer to score 7 Test 100s.

Time for a Special Mention

Inzamam ul Haq – 91 Innings

Without any doubt Inzi was the best batsman Pakistan ever produced. However it took him 91 innings to complete his seven Test centuries. He started his Test career in 1992 during the famous/notorious ‘Ball Tempering Series”. He scored his first Test ton in 1993 against West Indies. In 1994 he scored two Test centuries and in 1995 only one. In 1996, Inzi scored his 5th century in Tests at Lords. His 6th Test century came in 1998 in Rawalpindi Test against West Indies. Inzi scored his seventh Test ton in style as his first test double hundred against Sri Lanka during the Final of ‘Asian Test Championship 1999’ at Dhaka. Inzi scored total 25 Test centuries including a 329 runs innings.

Inzamam played his last test match in 2007 at Lahore against South Africa, at the time of his retirement he was just four runs short from beating the record of Javed Miandad to become the most runs scorer in Tests for Pakistan.