Kevin O'Brien brought some sunshine to a gloomy Malahide club in Dublin on Monday when he hit a historic century for Ireland on the fourth day of the solitary Test against Pakistan.

The 34-year-old not only became the first batsman from his country to score a coveted ton in Test cricket but also led a valiant fight back in his country’s first-ever Test match. A brilliant O’Brien just personified the age-old saying, “Cometh the hour, cometh the man” with his match-saving innings of 118 not out after his side conceded the follow on after a disastrous first innings.

“It's a very proud and emotional moment,” the talismanic Irish batsman said after the end of day’s play as quoted by Britain's The Telegraph in its match report. The newspaper also quoted him adding, “To get there, it's a great honor. Hopefully now we've put ourselves in a good position to try and go ahead and win it. There's no reason why we can't, we've just got to try and start off well tomorrow and try and get as many runs as we can.”

The career-defining century on the penultimate day of the rain-shortened Test rescued the hosts from the brink. After Pakistan declared on 310/9 before bundling out the home side for 130 and enforcing a follow-on, it was O’Brien’s 114 run-partnership with Stuart Thompson that not only averted an innings defeat for Ireland but also to make Pakistan bat again in their second innings.

The Irish all-rounder’s batting heroics at Malahide was no fluke as he has shown his super prowess in the international cricket, namely limited over cricket, a few times before as well. O'Brien's fairy-tale 50-ball century helped the lowly-ranked Irish win against England at Bangalore in the 2011 World Cup after Ireland found themselves reduced to 111 for five in response to England's 327.

After witnessing O’Brien’s herculean effort at Malahide on Monday, Jarrod Kimber wrote on ESPN.com, “It was shocking that O'Brien scored a hundred, that Ireland lasted a whole day, and that Ireland could win this match. But this time, it wasn't shocking that it was Kevin O'Brien. It's always Kevin O'Brien. Kevin O'Brien, Test centurion.”