Pakistan pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi achieved a major milestone in his ODI career in the ongoing tri-series against England. Playing at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Shaheen dismissed Tom Banton in the opening over to complete 150 wickets in One-Day Internationals.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first and their skipper made an immediate impact. Shaheen removed Banton for just four runs off five balls, reaching the 150-wicket mark in his 80th ODI.

With this achievement, Shaheen became the joint-second-fastest fast bowler in the world to take 150 ODI wickets, matching India’s Mohammed Shami. Shami had also reached the milestone in his 80th match, against England at The Oval on July 12, 2022.

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Australia’s Mitchell Starc remains the fastest fast bowler to reach 150 ODI wickets. The left-arm pacer achieved the feat in just 77 matches against the West Indies in Nottingham on June 6, 2019.

Shaheen Afridi Among Fastest Bowlers To 150 ODI Wickets

While Shaheen shares the second spot among fast bowlers with Shami, Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane holds the overall record. The leg-spinner reached 150 ODI wickets in only 73 matches, making him the fastest bowler in the world to achieve the milestone.

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Starc follows Lamichhane on the overall list, having taken 150 wickets in 77 matches. Pakistan’s Saqlain Mushtaq is next, having reached the mark in 78 matches.

Shami and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan both achieved the feat in 80 matches, while Shaheen joined them after dismissing Banton in Lahore. New Zealand’s Trent Boult and Australia’s Brett Lee completed the top eight, reaching the milestone in 81 and 82 matches, respectively.

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Shaheen Second-Fastest Pakistani To Reach 150 ODI Wickets

Shaheen has also become the second-fastest Pakistani bowler to take 150 wickets in ODIs. Saqlain Mushtaq continues to hold the national record, having reached the milestone in 78 matches against India in Dhaka on January 16, 1998.

Saqlain’s achievement stood as the fastest by a Pakistani bowler for more than two decades. Shaheen has now moved into second place, having achieved the feat in 80 matches.

Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar are next on the list, with both taking 91 matches to reach 150 ODI wickets. Saeed Ajmal completed the top five, achieving the milestone in 93 matches.

Shaheen Afridi Surpasses Shoaib Akhtar In ODI Wickets In Pakistan

Shaheen continued his impressive start by dismissing England’s Joe Root in his second over. Root was caught by Saim Ayub, giving the Pakistan captain his second wicket of the match.

The dismissal also helped Shaheen move past Shoaib Akhtar in the list of bowlers with the most ODI wickets on Pakistani soil.

Akhtar took 46 wickets in 32 ODIs played in Pakistan during his career. Shaheen, meanwhile, has now claimed 47 wickets in 28 matches in the country.

Pakistan’s all-time leader in this category remains Wasim Akram, who took 72 wickets in 67 ODIs played at home between 1984 and 2002. Waqar Younis follows with 67 wickets in 43 matches, while Shahid Afridi claimed 62 wickets in 57 games.

Saqlain Mushtaq and Imran Khan holds the next two positions with 54 and 52 wickets, respectively.

Shaheen’s latest achievement puts him ahead of Shoaib Akhtar on the list, while Haris Rauf is also closing in, having taken 46 scalps in 28 ODIs in Pakistan.

Akram remains Pakistan’s leading ODI wicket-taker overall. He finished his international career with 501 wickets in the format, including 72 on home soil.


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