Opener posts 23-ball half-century - the second-fastest in the history of Test cricket
Warner thrills with record-breaking 50
David Warner has blasted the fastest half-century by an Australian and the second-fastest ever in Test cricket on day four at the SCG.
Warner backed up his record-breaking hundred on day with a 23-ball fifty as Australia chased quick runs in the afternoon session of the third Test against Pakistan.
The 30-year-old beat Bruce Yardley's 29-ball half-century against the West Indies in March 1978 and was only two balls away from Misbah-ul-Haq’s 21-ball mark which he made against Australia in Abu Dhabi in October 2014.
Like he did on day one, Warner rocketed out of the gates, dispatching the first ball of the innings to the boundary off the bowling of Imran Khan.
Eight balls passed before he struck his next boundary, but he made up for lost time by talking leg-spinner Yasir Shah for 21 in the fourth over.
Warner launched Shah over the long-on rope twice to begin the over with consecutive sixes before cutting and reverse-sweeping for another brace of boundaries from the following two deliveries.
The pain continued in the seventh over when the left-hander banished Imran to the rope with a quartet of consecutive fours to raise Australia’s 50.
On 44 and with Yasir in his sights, Warner hit his third six over long-off to reach his half-century and obliterate Yardley’s Australian record by six deliveries.
The whirlwind effort took 37 minutes and included seven fours and three sixes, but his innings ended just five runs later when he was bowled by Wahab Riaz for 55 in the ninth over.
On day one, Warner became the first player to score a century before lunch in 40 years and the first ever to accomplish the feat on Australian soil.
"It feels amazing (to reach the hundred before lunch), I wasn't aware about the stats (the select group of players to achieve the feat on day one of a Test) - team doctor Peter Brukner told me after I came off." Warner said on Tuesday.
"I only began to think about it (getting the hundred) when I was on about 80 and there were 25 minutes to go before lunch.
"Basically I thought I'd just keep working hard to get us into a great position.
"But with the adrenaline pumping you ride the wave and getting to the hundred was the result."