Cricket Records – Shaheen Afridi Reaches Historic Milestone During Bangladesh Test
Cricket Records – Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi added another major chapter to his international career after completing 400 wickets across formats during the opening Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka.
Shaheen Afridi Enters Pakistan’s Elite Bowling List
Pakistan left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi achieved the landmark on the fourth day of the first Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Monday. The breakthrough came when he dismissed Bangladesh batter Mominul Haque, taking his overall international wicket tally to 400.
With this achievement, Shaheen became only the ninth Pakistani bowler to reach the milestone in international cricket. He is also the sixth fast bowler from the country to achieve the feat across Tests, One-Day Internationals and T20 Internationals.
At 26 years old, the pacer reached the mark in just 211 international matches, reflecting the rapid progress he has made since entering the Pakistan side as a teenager. His consistent performances with the new ball and ability to strike in crucial moments have established him as one of Pakistan’s leading bowlers in modern-day cricket.
Legendary Names Still Ahead on Pakistan’s All-Time List
Despite his latest achievement, Shaheen still trails several legendary Pakistan bowlers on the country’s all-time wicket charts. Former captain Wasim Akram continues to hold the top position with 916 international wickets, while Waqar Younis follows with 789 dismissals.
Imran Khan, Shahid Afridi and Saqlain Mushtaq also remain among the leading wicket-takers for Pakistan. Other prominent bowlers ahead of Shaheen include Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul.
Shaheen’s numbers across formats underline his importance to Pakistan’s bowling attack. He has claimed 139 wickets in One-Day Internationals and 136 wickets in T20 Internationals, in addition to his contributions in Test cricket where he continues to lead the pace department.
Strong Record in ICC World Test Championship
Earlier during the same Test match, Shaheen had already reached another significant career milestone. He became the first Pakistan bowler to complete 100 wickets in the ICC World Test Championship.
The left-arm fast bowler now leads Pakistan’s wicket tally in the competition with 103 wickets. Spinner Noman Ali occupies the second spot, while Sajid Khan remains third on the list.
Shaheen’s performances in the World Test Championship have played a major role in Pakistan’s bowling success over recent seasons. His ability to generate pace, reverse swing and bounce has made him a key figure in overseas conditions as well as on home surfaces.
Bangladesh Maintain Control in the Test Match
Although Shaheen’s personal milestone became one of the major talking points of the day, Bangladesh remained firmly in command of the Test heading into the final stage of the match.
The hosts earlier secured an important first-innings lead after Mehidy Hasan Miraz produced a five-wicket haul against Pakistan. Bangladesh then strengthened their position further in the second innings by extending the overall lead to 179 runs at the close of play on Day 4.
Bangladesh finished the day at 152 for 3, with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto unbeaten on 58. His steady innings helped the home side tighten their grip on the contest ahead of the final day in Dhaka.
While Pakistan celebrated Shaheen Afridi’s latest achievement, the visiting side still faces a difficult challenge if it hopes to avoid defeat in the opening Test against Bangladesh.