Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq made history on Friday, becoming the first Pakistani to play 50 matches as Test captain as he walked onto Hagley Oval ground in Christchurch for a toss against the Kiwis during the second day of the Test series against New Zealand.

The 42-year-old was named Test captain after a spot fixing scandal in England in 2010. He famously blogged about being offered captaincy during a secret meeting in a clerk's office at the Pakistan Cricket Board headquarters in Lahore in the aftermath of the scandal.

Subsequently he captained the team against South Africa in 2011 and has become one of Pakistan's most successful captains since, with 24 wins, 14 losses and 11 draws under his belt.

Under Misbah's captaincy, Pakistan achieved the number-one Test ranking for the first time since the current rankings system was introduced in 2003.

Earlier this year, Misbah became the oldest Test centurion in 82 years at the 'home of cricket' Lords when he reached three figures during a four-Test series against England.

Misbah also erased a 49-year-old Pakistan record at Lord’s by improving upon 76 made by Asif Iqbal in his maiden Test knock, while batting at No 9 in 1967.

With 10 centuries, and 36 half centuries in the bag, Misbah has overtaken current chairman of selectors Inzamam-ul-Haq’s seven, and Imran Khan and Javed Miandad's records, each of whom have five apiece.

Remarkably, no one in the long history of Test match cricket has managed more centuries than Misbah beyond the age of 40.

His batting average currently stands at 48.31 runs.

Play against New Zealand on Thursday was abandoned as persistent rain did not allow the match to begin as scheduled.

The Kiwis scored 104-3 in play on the second day of the Test today against Pakistan's total of 133 for all out.