Shadab Khan snatches another T20I record from Shahid Afridi
Pakistani bowler Shadab Khan couldn’t help his side overcome a determined English side, but he did set one record on Sunday.
During Sunday’s final in Melbourne, Pakistan were facing a daunting challenge to keep control a rampant English squad under wraps as they defended a modest total of 137 runs.
Pakistan started off promisingly with Shaheen Shah Afridi striking in his first over to remove the dangerous batsman Alex Hales, bowling him out with a perfect inswinger for one run.
Haris Rauf then had Salt caught at midwicket for 10, leaving England at a precarious 32 for two.
Rauf then got the big wicket of England captain Jos Buttler, caught behind for 26 to leave England for 45 for three in six overs.
That is when Shadab was introduced in the attack with Ben Stokes and Harry Brook at the crease.
In his first over, Shadab conceded just five runs as Pakistan kept the pressure on the English team.
His second over was less flattering, conceding eight runs – including a boundary – as Stokes and Brook started anchor the team.
Shadab, who bowled an unbroken spell, did finally strike, getting the wicket of Harry Brook in his fourth and final over.
Brook looked to drive Shadab over midon but Shaheen Shah Afridi reached over his head and watched the ball sail into his safe hands.
That wicket helped take Shadab’s total to 98 career wickets in T20 Internationals, one better than Pakistani legend Shahid Afridi who for long was Pakistan’s leading wicket taker in the shortest format of the game even though he had hung up his cap in 2016.
It took Afridi 98 matches to get his 97 wickets. But Shadab manage to surge past him in just 84 matches with a strike rate of 18.3.
Haris Rauf currently has 72 wickets from 57 matches while Shaheen Shah Afridi has 58 wickets from 47 matches.
Top wicket-takers for Pakistan in T20I
Shadab Khan bagged 12 wickets for his side in this World Cup followed by Shaheen Shah Afridi.
| S.No | Player | Span | Matches | Runs | Wickets | Econ | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shadab Khan | 2017-2022* | 84 | 2,105 | 98 | 7.03 | 18.3 |
| 2 | Shahid Afridi | 2006-2016 | 98 | 2,362 | 97 | 6.61 | 22.1 |
| 3 | Umar Gul | 2007-2016 | 60 | 1,443 | 85 | 7.19 | 14.1 |
| 4 | Saeed Ajmal | 2009-2015 | 64 | 1,516 | 85 | 6.36 | 16.8 |
| 5 | Haris Rauf | 2020-2022* | 57 | 1,652 | 72 | 8.07 | 17.0 |
| 6 | Mohammad Hafeez | 2006-2021 | 119 | 1,388 | 61 | 6.60 | 20.6 |
| 7 | Hasan Ali | 2016-2022 | 50 | 1,414 | 60 | 8.35 | 16.9 |
| 8 | Mohammad Amir | 2009-2020 | 50 | 1,263 | 59 | 7.02 | 18.2 |
| 9 | Shaheen Shah Afridi | 2018-2022* | 47 | 1,298 | 58 | 7.52 | 17.8 |
| 10 | Imad Wasim | 2015-2021 | 58 | 1,292 | 55 | 6.33 | 22.2 |
