Pakistan’s star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi achieved a historic milestone on Tuesday during the first T20I of the three-match series against South Africa at Kingsmead Stadium. The 24-year-old became the first Pakistani bowler to take 100 wickets in all formats.
Afridi, who entered the match just three wickets shy of the 100 T20I wickets mark, delivered a stellar performance, finishing with figures of 3/22. His efforts not only brought him to the milestone but also made him the third Pakistani bowler to achieve 100 T20I wickets, joining Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan.
Afridi reached the landmark in his 74th T20I match, making him the second-fastest Pakistani to the milestone after Haris Rauf, who accomplished it in 71 games.
Globally, Afridi became only the fourth cricketer to take 100 wickets in all three formats of international cricket, joining an elite group that includes New Zealand’s Tim Southee, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, and Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga.
In addition to his T20I tally, Afridi has taken 112 wickets in ODIs and 116 wickets in Test matches, further solidifying his reputation as one of the most versatile and effective bowlers in modern cricket.
| Player | Wickets |
|---|---|
| Haris Rauf | 110 |
| Shadab Khan | 107 |
| Shaheen Afridi | 100 |
| Shahid Afridi | 97 |
| Umar Gul | 85 |
| Saeed Ajmal | 85 |
Despite Afridi’s heroics with the ball, Pakistan fell short in their chase, losing the first T20I by 11 runs.
South Africa batted first and posted a formidable total of 183/9, thanks to a blistering half-century by David Miller and a late flourish from George Linde. Afridi was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan, claiming three crucial wickets, while Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf chipped in with two wickets each.
Chasing 184, Pakistan’s batting lineup faltered under pressure, losing wickets at regular intervals. Mohammad Rizwan anchored the innings with a valiant 74 off 62 balls, but his slow strike rate left Pakistan with too much to do in the final overs. In the end, Pakistan managed 172/8 in their 20 overs, falling short by 11 runs.
The second T20I of the series will take place on Thursday, December 12, with Pakistan looking to bounce back and level the series. For South Africa, a win would secure the series and provide a confidence boost ahead of the upcoming international fixtures.