LAHORE: Pakistan’s Riffatullah Momand and Aamer Sajjad set a new world record for a second wicket stand when they piled on 580 runs in a first-class match on Sunday.

The pair helped WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority) to a draw against SSGC (Sui Southern Gas Corporation) at Sheikhupura, 30 kilometres from Lahore. Momand scored a career-best 302 not out while Sajjad notched 289 as they erased the previous world record second wicket stand of 576 by Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama for Sri Lanka against India at Colombo in 1997. WAPDA scored 671-2 in reply to SSGC’s first-innings total of 466 as the four-day match ended without a result. The 32-year-old Momand earlier this year had to pull out of Afghanistan’s World Cup qualifier squad after being found ineligible to play under ICC rules.

ICC rules demand that a player must have played domestic cricket for four years in the country he wants to represent internationally. After the ruling Momand returned to re-start his career in Pakistan. Momand said he hoped the mammoth score would kickstart his efforts to get into the international game.

“What happened earlier is behind me and I hope that this triple hundred will help me revive my career as I want to play for Pakistan at the international level,” Momand said. Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt congratulated the pair on setting the new world record.