Pakistani pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi etched his name in ODI history by becoming the quickest fast bowler to reach 100 wickets. Afridi achieved this incredible milestone during the Pakistan must-win match against Bangladesh at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. With the crowd’s anticipation palpable and the match hanging in the balance, the towering left-arm pacer reached this historic feat in his 51st ODI appearance.
A Record-Breaking First Over
The magical moment arrived in the very first over of the match when Shaheen delivered a searing inswinger that trapped the young Bangladeshi opener right in front of the stumps. After Tanzid’s review, the third umpire confirmed the on-field umpire’s original out decision for an lbw, confirming Afridi’s 100th ODI wicket. The ecstatic crowd at Eden Gardens erupted in applause and appreciation for this remarkable achievement. His teammates rushed to congratulate him, clearly delighted with their star pacer’s historic feat.
“Records are meant to be surpassed, and we’re delighted to have established new milestones for Pakistan,” Afridi stated post-game. “Our primary goal is still to secure a spot in the top four. Today, we aimed to conclude the match swiftly and enhance our net run-rate,” Afridi emphasized. “We’ve had a lackluster team performance in recent matches, with some costly mistakes, including dropped catches and subpar fielding. Nonetheless, we’re still in the tournament, and we’re determined to perform better,” he concluded.
Spectacular Journey of Shaheen Shah Afridi
Afridi’s journey to 100 ODI wickets has been nothing short of spectacular; his ability to swing the ball both ways, extract bounce, and consistently deliver yorkers with pinpoint accuracy has made him a force to be reckoned with in limited-overs cricket. This achievement only solidifies his status as one of the most promising fast bowlers of this era. As of this writing, he is well on his way to taking back the top wicket-taker spot in the World Cup, dismissing Bangladeshi batsman Shanto in the very next over.
Shaheen secured three wickets in the aforementioned match, with Pakistan dismissing Bangladesh for 204. Pakistan then smoothly achieved the target, losing only three wickets in the process.
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