Australia's No 4 mainstay Steve Smith toppled another Test batting record on Thursday (March 24) when he became the fastest batter to complete 8,000 Test runs as Australia continued to extend its against Pakistan in the third Test in Lahore.


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Smith, needing seven to reach the milestone, drove Hasan Ali through covers for a boundary and was unbeaten on 12 at the break. He reached 8,000 runs in 151 Test innings, one quicker than the record held by Kumar Sangakkara. Smith is the seventh Australian to the mark.


Khawaja continues his good run in country of his birth


Khawaja has been prolific on tour in the country of his birth.


The left-handed opener missed made 97 in the drawn first test at Rawalpindi, and 160 and 44 not out in the drawn game at Karachi. Despite being ill on the opening day of this Test in Lahore, he scored 91 in the first innings as Australia racked up 391.


Pakistan, which conceded a massive first-innings lead of 123, could chip out only one wicket each in Australia's two sessions as Khawaja batted resolutely to raise their hopes for a series win on a worn-out pitch.



Khawaja combined in a 96-run opening stand with David Warner, 51, who was clean bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi in the penultimate over before lunch.