Pakistan fringe player with batting average of 5.6 smashes 20-ball 50 at No.9 in National T20 Cup

The 21-year-old Mumtaz has played Pakistan U16s and U19s, as well as in the Pakistan Super League. He's also played 21 first-class and 40 List A games and was picked in the Pakistan Test squad for the second and third England Tests last year, but had never scored more than 46 in a single outing before Tuesday (March 18).

A left-arm spinner by trade, Mumtaz came out to bat at No.9 after Rawalpindi were reduced to 119-7 in a run-chase of 208. He smashed his first ball for four past mid-off before slapping a short ball over extra cover to start off with two boundaries. Mumtaz also pulled out delicate scoops as Faisalabad were left scrambling till the time he was at the crease.

He reached his fifty off just 20 balls before being dismissed for 51 off 24. Rawalpindi were eventually bowled out for 183, losing the match by 24 runs.

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Before this knock, Mumtaz's T20 batting record read: 12 innings, 56 runs, 5.6 average, 114.28 strike rate. Not only was it surprising given his lack of batting credentials, Mumtaz's blitzkreig was a rare one in that it came from so far down the order. Across all T20s in Pakistan, only once before had a player scored a half-century while batting at No.9 or below. That came way back in 2008.

Only 21 years of age, Mumtaz is also the second youngest player to score a T20 fifty while batting at No.9 or below, ever. Overall, this was just the 14th instance of a batter scoring a men's T20 half-century from No.9 or below.

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Watch Mehran Mumtaz's 20-ball 50 here:

Every men's T20 half-century while batting at No.9 or below