David Warner blasts the second-quickest 50 in Test history as Australia close in on 3-0 series whitewash of Pakistan
Opener smashed his half-century from just 23 balls, narrowly missing out on Misbah-ul-Haq's 21-ball record set in 2014
DAVID WARNER blasted the second-quickest Test half-century of all-time from just 23 balls as Australia raced towards a 3-0 series whitewash over Pakistan in Sydney.
The explosive opener, 30, strode to the crease to kick off the hosts' second innings, with a lead of 223 with around a day-and-a-half to play.
Any hopes Australia had on getting a result relied heavily on quick runs, with Warner obliging with an array of brutal shots.
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Picking up where he left off from the first innings - where he notched a 95-ball 113 as the Aussies amassed 538-8 - Warner quickly got into his stride, including taking 20 off just four Yasir Shah deliveries.
He brought up his 50 from just 23 balls - including three sixes - narrowly missing out on the record set by Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq against Australia; that brutal knock taking just 21 deliveries.
Quickest Test 50s
Misbah-ul-Haq: Pakistan vs Australia - 21 balls
David Warner: Australia vs Pakistan - 23 balls
Jacques Kallis: South Africa vs Zimbabwe - 24 balls
Shane Shillingford: West Indies vs New Zealand - 25 balls
Shahid Afridi: Pakistan vs India - 26 balls
Mohammad Ashraful: Bangladesh vs India - 26 balls
Dale Steyn: South Africa vs West Indies - 26 balls
The knock set the tone as the hosts reached 241-2 from just 32 overs, as Usman Khawaja - promoted to opener following English-born star Matthew Renshaw's concussion - compiled an unbeaten, 98-ball 79.
Skipper Steve Smith smashed 59 from just 43 balls, while Peter Handscomb blasted 40 not out from just 25 balls.
Warner himself failed to build on his rapid-fire 50, bowled by Wahab Riaz for 55 from 27 balls.
However, his heroics led the Aussies to declare, setting Pakistan an improbable 465 to win, with one day and 16 overs to play.
While a win would be near impossible, the visitors will be hoping to snatch a draw, however they lost one wicket before close - that of Sharjeel Khan - as they ended up 55-1.