Asif Afridi becomes oldest player with Test fifer on debut
What's the story
At 38, Pakistan's left-arm spinner, Asif Afridi, has become the oldest bowler to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut. Asif reached the landmark on Day 3 of the 2nd Test against South Africa at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The spinner, who broke a record that had stood for nearly a century, took 6/79 as the Proteas were bowled out for 404.
Record broken
Afridi's spell shifts Test momentum
Asif first broke the 113-run stand between Tristan Stubbbs and Tony de Zorzi on Day 2. He trapped both of them in front. The left-arm spinner had also dismissed the dangerous Dewald Brevis by stumps. On the third morning, Asif removed Kyle Verreynne and Simon Harmer to record his fifer. His sixth wicket came in the form of Kagiso Rabada. He bowled 34.3 overs and took six wickets for 79 runs with six maidens.
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Asif tops this list
At 38 years and 299 days, Asif is now the oldest player to record a fifer on Test debut. He went past England's CS Marriott, who took a fifer at 37 years and 332 days on his debut against West Indies in 1933.
Record
15th Pakistani with fifer on Test debut
Afridi is the 15th player to take a five-wicket haul on his Test debut for Pakistan. The previous record was achieved by Aamir Jamal in 2023. He took six wickets in his first Test against Australia. Jamal dismissed Travis Head, David Warner, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon. Before Afridi, spinner Abrar Ahmed had taken a five-wicket haul on his debut Test for Pakistan.