Pakistan Pacer Shaheen Afridi Joins Elite ODI 150-Wicket Club
Pakistan's ODI captain Shaheen Afridi has entered an elite group of bowlers after claiming his 150th wicket in one-day internationals. The landmark came on Sunday in the second match of the tri-series against England at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Shaheen reached the mark in his 80th ODI, faster than the joint record held by Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar, who required 91 matches. The achievement makes him the second quickest Pakistani pacer to the milestone, behind only Saqlain Mushtaq, who took 78 matches.
The breakthrough came in the opening over. Shaheen needed one wicket to reach the target, and he struck early by dismissing Tom Banton. The opener had been in outstanding form, scoring 50-plus runs in each of his previous four innings. Banton went for a full-length ball, aiming towards cover, and Arafat completed a simple catch.
Across international cricket, Shaheen is now jointly fourth on the list of fastest bowlers to 150 ODI wickets. Nepal's Sandeep Lamichhane tops the list after reaching the figure in 73 matches. Mitchell Starc, who took 77 matches, is next, followed by Saqlain Mushtaq. Shaheen has drawn level with Rashid Khan of Afghanistan and Mohammed Shami of India, both of whom also achieved the feat in 80 matches.
The fixture has special meaning for Pakistan, with players donning pink jerseys to promote awareness about breast cancer. The tri-series has moved from Rawalpindi to Lahore, and the hosts have won both matches so far. They defeated Sri Lanka in the opener and England in the second game. Attention now turns to Pakistan's bid for a place in the final.
The home team has made two changes to its playing eleven. Shadab Khan is back, while Rizaullah is set to make his ODI debut. Fahim Ashraf and Naseem Shah have been omitted. After opting to bowl at the toss, the captain explained that Naseem Shah suffered a finger dislocation during the warm-up. England have also made one alteration, handing Henry Crocombe his debut in place of Josh Tongue.