LAHORE: Shaheen Shah Afridi became Pakistan’s fastest pace bowler to reach 150 One-Day International (ODI) wickets on Sunday, dismissing England opener Tom Banton in his 80th appearance at Gaddafi Stadium.
Banton fell in the first over, caught by Arafat Minhas for four, after Pakistan chose to bowl in the fourth match of the tri-series.
Afridi surpassed the joint national pace-bowling record held by Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar. Both reached the landmark in 91 matches, meaning the left-armer needed 11 fewer appearances.
However, Saqlain Mushtaq remains Pakistan’s quickest bowler to reach the milestone overall. The former off-spinner achieved it in 78 matches, two fewer than Afridi. Pakistan’s leading performers by matches taken are:
| Bowler | Matches to 150 ODI Wickets |
|---|---|
| Saqlain Mushtaq | 78 |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 80 |
| Waqar Younis | 91 |
| Shoaib Akhtar | 91 |
| Saeed Ajmal | 93 |
| Umar Gul | 104 |
Before Sunday’s game, the Pakistan Cricket Board had identified Afridi as one wicket away from breaking the national pace record. He entered the match with three five-wicket hauls in the format.
Globally, Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane holds the record, having reached the mark in 73 matches. Australia’s Mitchell Starc completed it in 77 appearances.
Afridi, 26, was also leading Pakistan in the Lahore fixture. His side entered the match unbeaten in the tournament after victories over Sri Lanka and England in Rawalpindi.
Read: Shaheen Afridi Concerns Raised by Ramiz Raja Over Test Form
Pakistan won those games by 37 runs and 87 runs, respectively. Sunday’s fixture opened the Lahore leg of the competition, which also features Sri Lanka. Pakistan next face Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
(With additional input from Pakistan Cricket Board)
