Rahmat Shah becomes first Afghanistan batter with 1,000 Test runs
What's the story
Veteran Afghanistan batter Rahmat Shah has made history by becoming the first player from his country to complete 1,000 Test runs. The star cricketer reached the milestone on Day 2 of the one-off Test against India in Mullanpur on Sunday. Shah entered the match, needing 30 runs to reach the landmark. Here we look at his performance and stats.
Knock
A gritty hand from Shah
Day 2 of the game saw India declare their first innings at a mammoth score of 564 runs for the loss of eight wickets. In response, Manav Suthar claimed three wickets on debut as the Afghan side finished the day at 113/5. Shah showcased some resistance as he returned unbeaten on 43 off 81 balls, having slammed six fours and a maximum.
Career
Highest run-scorer for Afghanistan in Test cricket
Shah has been a consistent run-scorer for Afghanistan across all three formats. Playing his 12th Test match, he has raced to 1,013 runs at a brilliant average of 45-plus. Hashmatullah Shahidi (791) happens to be the only other batter with more than 650 runs for the Afghan side. Meanwhile, Shah has recorded eight 50-plus scores in Tests, including three tons.
Feat
Second-highest individual score for Afghanistan
Shah's best Test score is a stunning 234 against Zimbabwe in the 2024 Bulawayo Test. This happens to be the second-highest individual score for Afghanistan in the format, only behind Shahidi's 246 in the same Afghanistan-Zimbabwe match. Meanwhile, Shah also owns the most tons and 50-plus Test scores for Afghanistan.