(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi reached a milestone, claiming his 100th ODI wicket at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens on Tuesday.
In the 31st match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 against Bangladesh, Shaheen opener Tanzid Hasan his 100th victim in his 51st ODI match. On the fifth ball of the Bangladesh innings, Shaheen struck early and trapped Tanzid LBW for a duck.
As soon as the left-armer dismissed Tanzid, he unlocked a new feat, becoming the fastest pacer to reach 100 ODI wickets and the third-quickest overall to do so. Australia speedster Mitchell Starc took 52 matches to pick his 100th ODI wicket, while Shaheen achieved it in just 51 games. Spinners Sandeep Lamichhane and Rashid Khan sits at the top of this list, grabbing 100 ODI wickets in 42 and 44 matches respectively.
However, in terms of the number of balls taken to reach the century of wickets, Shaheen ranks fourth. Rashid, Lamichhane and Starc accomplished that in 2,139, 2,225, and 2,452 balls, whereas the 23-year-old Shaheen took 2,526 balls to bag his 100th ODI scalp.
Nevertheless, Shaheen was on a wicket-taking spree versus Bangladesh as he ended up taking two more wickets, dismissing Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mahmudullah. In his second over of the day, he removed Shanto, who was batting on four. Mahmudullah, after notching his 28th ODI fifty, got cleaned up by Shaheen after Pakistan captain Babar Azam invited the pacer for his second spell in the match.
Shaheen ended with bowling figures of 9-1-23-3, which helped the Pakistan team wrap up Bangladesh at a score 204 in 45.1 overs.