Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq equalled the record for the fastest Test century as his team stood on the verge of a 2-0 series win against Australia on Sunday.

Misbah (101 not out) and Azhar Ali (100 not out) helped themselves to their second century in the match before declaring Pakistan’s second innings on 293 on three on the penultimate day of the second and final Test in Abu Dhabi.

Chasing an intimidating 603-run victory target, Australia were reeling on 36 for two at Tea with David Warner (24) and captain Michael Clarke (two) in the middle.

The day belonged to the 40-year-old Misbah, who is often criticised for his ponderous batting.

Dropped by Peter Siddle at cover when on four, Misbah took just 21 balls to race to his half-century, bettering South African Jacques Kallis’s record of a 24-ball fifty against Zimbabwe in Cape Town in 2005.

Needing eight runs from two balls, he hit paceman Mitchell Starc for consecutive boundaries to match West Indies great Viv Richards’s 1986 record of a 56-ball century against England at St John’s, Antigua.

The right-hander hit five sixes — including three in one Steve Smith over — and 11 boundaries in his stunning 57-ball knock at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Younus Khan (46) was the only Pakistan batsman dismissed in the morning session.

Younus, who has hit scores of 106, 103 not out and 213 in his last three innings, was trapped leg before by part-time spinner Smith.

If any consolation for the Australians, this was the first time the former Pakistan captain failed to reach three figures in the two-Test series, which he finished with 468 runs to his name.