Pakistan’s star pacers, Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali, have been in a rich vein of form in Test cricket over the past year. They are the leading fast bowlers in Test cricket in 2021 as Shaheen is the second-highest wicket-taker and Hasan the third-highest wicket-taker in the calendar year.
Both the bowlers have taken more than 40 wickets in the calendar year and have become only the fourth Pakistani fast-bowling duo in Test cricket history to do so. Previoulsy, Shoaib Akhtar and Waqar Younis achieved the feat in 2002 and the duo of Wasim and Waqar achieved the milestone on two occasions, in 1990 and 1994.
Here are the Pakistani fast bowling pairs to have picked up more than 40 wickets each in a calendar year:
| Bowlers | Total Wickets | Year |
| Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali | 88* | 2021 |
| Shoaib Akhtar and Waqar Younis | 82 | 2002 |
| Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis | 89 | 1994 |
| Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis | 97 | 1990 |
Hasan and Shaheen have been on song throughout the calendar year. They have picked up a total of 88 wickets together and have dismantled the opposition batting units on numerous occasions. Shaheen has picked up 47 wickets at an average of 16.78 in 9 matches while Hasan has picked up 41 wickets at an average of 15.95 in 8 matches in 2021.
Hasan has picked up 5 five-wicket hauls in the ongoing year, which is the joint-most by a bowler in the calendar year while Shaheen has picked up 3 five-wicket hauls, the second highest 2021.