T20 World Cup 2022: Shaheen Shah Afridi became the youngest fast bowler to pick up 50 wickets in T20Is. He achieved the feat in the match against South Africa at the SCG.

T20 WC 2022: Shaheen Shah Afridi becomes youngest pacer to get 50 T20I wickets. Courtesy: AP

By Sabyasachi Chowdhury: Shaheen Shah Afridi, on Thursday, November 3, became the youngest fast bowler to pick up 50 wickets in T20Is. The speedster accomplished the feat during Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2022 Super 12 match against Temba Bavuma’s South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The Khyber Agency-born Afridi got to the milestone at the age of 22 years and 211 days. Australia Women’s all-rounder Ellyse Perry picked up her 50th wicket at the age of 23 years and 144 days. The Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan got to the milestone at the age of 19 years and 256 days.

Afridi failed to pick up a wicket against India and Zimbabwe, after which he got one scalp against the Netherlands. Afridi put forth his A-game in the game against the Proteas after he ran through the opposition top-order.

After South Africa were asked to chase down 186, Afridi had an opening spell of 2-0-2-2. In the very first over, he prized out the wicket of Quinton de Kock, who failed to open his account.

In his second over, Afridi accounted for the wicket of Rilee Rossouw, who recently became only the second batter after France’s Gustan McKeon to score back-to-back half-centuries in T20Is.

Afridi had made his comeback in the World Cup after he recovered from a knee injury that he sustained during Pakistan’s two-match Test series against Sri Lanka earlier this year.

Afridi also missed out on playing in the Asia Cup 2022, where Pakistan finished as the runner-up after losing to Dasun Shanaka’s Sri Lanka in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.