Younis Khan creates history; first Pakistan player to join 10000-run club

Jamaica: Younis Khan became the first Pakistan batsman to score 10,000 runs in test cricket, reaching the landmark during the third day of the series-opening match against the West Indies on Sunday.

The 39-year-old Younis, playing in his 116th test match, needed 23 runs at the start of his innings to reach the milestone. He became the 13th member of the 10K club — and the oldest to reach the mark — when he swept off-spinner Roston Chase for a boundary at fine leg soon after tea.

The gritty right-hander celebrated his achievement by taking his helmet off and saluting his teammates in the dressing room.

He faced 138 balls on Sunday, stroking five boundaries and a six, before he was caught off Shannon Gabriel's bowling for 58. At stumps, Pakistan was 201-4 in its first innings in reply to the West Indies 286.

"Younis Khan has been an excellent ambassador of Pakistan cricket. The number of records he has set in the recent past is something we as a nation can take great pride in," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan said. "He is the only Pakistan batsman and test cricketer in the world to score centuries in 11 countries across the world, the feat he achieved against Australia early this year.

"I congratulate him on rewriting the record book and hope he carries the form in the series to win the test series against West Indies."

Younis scored a hundred on his test debut against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi in 2000 and since then has scored 34 centuries. His test best of 313 came against Sri Lanka at Karachi in 2009.

Khan, who averages better than 50, reached 10,000 test runs in his 208th innings — making him the sixth fastest in terms of innings.

Sachin Tendulkar tops the list of scorers in test cricket, retiring after accumulating 15,921 runs for India in 200 test matches. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is next with 13,378 from 168 tests and South Africa allrounder Jacques Kallis tallied 13,289 from 166 tests.

Younis will retire from test cricket after the three-test series against the West Indies.