Shaheen Afridi (Photo: Twitter)
Pakistan speedster Shaheen Afridi added a new feather to his cap, reaching a landmark of 100 wickets in Test cricket. The 23-year-old achieved the feat on Day 1 of the ongoing Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium. The two-match Test series is their first assignment in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle.
Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka skipper, opted to bat first after winning the toss. Shaheen bowled an outswinger in his second over and got opener Nishan Madushka as the ball hit the outside edge of the bat, which was caught by wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed.
With the wicket, the 23-year-old has set a new record of 100 wickets in his 26th match in the longest format of the game. Meanwhile, he later dismissed Kusal Mendis and Karunaratne after a slight drizzle halted the match. It is worth mentioning that he took two more Tests than Jasprit Bumrah to achieve the 100-wicket mark in Test cricket, with India fast bowler reaching the milestone in just 24 matches.
Shaheen missed Pakistan’s whole home season due to injury sustained in 2022
Shaheen established himself as a standout bowler for the Babar Azam-led side since making his international debut in 2018. The 23-year-old has made a name for himself with a string of impressive performances over the years, despite being injury prone.
After being sidelined due to an injury, he made a comeback in the T20 World Cup 2022, but his injury worsened, and he had to undergo appropriate rehab again before returning to play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023 and County cricket in England.
After missing Pakistan’s whole domestic season due to injury, the speedster captained Lahore Qalandars to a triumphant season in PSL 2023, outplaying Multan Sultans in the finals. Since this is his comeback to the game’s longest format of the game, he will be eager to demonstrate his worth again.