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New Delhi: Pakistan spinner Asif Afridi created history on Wednesday, becoming the oldest bowler to claim a five-wicket haul on his Test debut. He achieved the milestone on Day 3 of the second Test between Pakistan and South Africa at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The 38-year-old spinner offered prayers in gratitude after completing the milestone in his maiden outing in whites with a crucial spell. He broke a 92-year-old record, which was previously held by England's Charles Marriott, who claimed a fifer on Test debut at the age of 37 years and 332 days in 1933.
Afridi completed the milestone after trapping Simon Harmer leg before wicket as the South African all-rounder attempted to play a reverse sweep in the first session on Day 3. The Proteas batter struggled against Afridi, who bowled with brilliant accuracy and control.
Before removing Harmer, Afridi had already changed the match in Pakistan's favour by taking the crucial wicket of Tristan Stubbs, who was batting on 76 runs. The left-arm bowler was relentless throughout the first session and gave nothing away to the Proteas batters.
He picked up a wicket in his very first over of the day, dismissing wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne. Afridi set up the dismissal brilliantly, changing his pace before producing a slower, flighted ball that spun sharply to find the edge of the bat.
His brilliant bowling effort on Day 2 of the Test match proved to be a crucial point of the match. The hosts were on the back foot when Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi stitched a 113-run partnership to reduce the deficit. Just when it looked like the visitors would reach stumps with only two wickets down, Afridi turned the match with his spell. He removed De Zorzi after his half-century and also dismissed Dewald Brevis for a duck.
