Shaheen Afridi, the talented left-arm fast bowler from Pakistan, has made history by becoming the first Pakistan player to take 100 wickets in each format of international cricket. This remarkable achievement came during the first T20I match against South Africa in Durban on Tuesday night. In the opening T20I against South Africa, Shaheen Afridi played a key role in Pakistan’s bowling attack. He took three wickets in his four-over spell, helping Pakistan’s effort to defend a challenging total. Shaheen’s wickets were spread across different phases of the match. He started by getting a wicket during the powerplay, then took another in the middle phase, and finished with a wicket towards the end of the innings.
With this three-wicket haul, Shaheen Afridi reached the milestone of 100 T20I wickets. He became the first-ever Pakistan bowler to take 100 wickets in all formats of international cricket. This includes 116 wickets in Test matches, 112 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs), and now 100 wickets in T20Is. Shaheen Afridi’s achievement also makes him the third Pakistani bowler to reach 100 wickets in T20Is. Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan are the other two Pakistani bowlers to have taken 100 wickets in T20 internationals. However, Shaheen Afridi stands out as the first Pakistan bowler to achieve 100 wickets in each format of the game, a feat that is incredibly rare.
Shaheen reached his 100th T20I wicket in just 74 matches, making him the second-fastest Pakistani bowler to achieve this milestone. Haris Rauf holds the record for the fastest, taking 100 wickets in just 71 T20I matches. Despite this, Shaheen Afridi’s achievement is still impressive, and he is now in the company of some of the best bowlers in the world, including New Zealand’s Tim Southee, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, and Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga, all of whom have taken 100 wickets in T20Is.
During the match, Shaheen Afridi showed his skill and control with the ball. In his first breakthrough, he bowled a perfect yorker to clean up South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen for a golden duck. This was an excellent delivery that left van der Dussen with no chance. Later, Shaheen took the important wicket of David Miller, who was in great form and close to scoring a century. This was a crucial wicket as Miller’s presence could have guided South Africa to an even higher score. Shaheen’s final wicket came when he trapped Nqabayomzi Peter in front of the stumps to complete his three-wicket haul. This wicket was special as it marked his 100th T20I wicket, and with it, he became the first Pakistan player to take 100 wickets in every format of international cricket.
Despite Shaheen Afridi’s impressive bowling performance, Pakistan lost the match by a narrow margin of 11 runs. South Africa posted a challenging total of 184 runs, and Pakistan’s chase was not easy. Mohammad Rizwan, the Pakistani captain, played an outstanding knock of 74 runs, but he did not receive enough support from the other batsmen. Although Rizwan fought hard, Pakistan fell short of the target, and South Africa won the match.
Shaheen Afridi’s achievement of taking 100 wickets in every format of international cricket is a historic milestone for Pakistan cricket. His all-round talent and dedication to the game have earned him a place among the greats of international cricket. Even though Pakistan lost the match, Shaheen’s performance will be remembered as a significant moment in his career. His achievement not only brings pride to Pakistan but also inspires young cricketers worldwide.