Pakistan spinner Asif Afridi made history in Rawalpindi by becoming the oldest bowler to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut. The 38–year-old left-arm spinner achieved this on Day 3 of the second Test against South Africa. He took 6/79 off 38.3 overs in the visiting team’s first innings.
Afridi bowled with great control and accuracy, which troubled South Africa’s middle–order on the second and third days. He broke a 92–year-old record, held by England’s Charles Marriott, who had taken five wickets on his debut at the age of 37 in 1933.
Afridi reached his milestone when he took the final wicket of the innings — Kagiso Rabada (71). He had already accounted for set batters Tristan Stubbs (76) and Tony de Zorzi (55), who fell to his variations. He also took the wickets of Dewald Brevis (0), Kyle Verreynne (10) and Simon Harmer (2).
In reply to Pakistan’s 333, South Africa were in trouble at 235/8. Senuran Muthusamy (89 not out) added 71 for the ninth wicket with Keshav Maharaj (30) and then put together 98 for the last wicket with Rabada. Those two partnerships neutralised the Afridi effect to an extent.
Afridi made his first-class debut in 2009. He has taken 198 wickets in 57 matches at an average of 25.49. He has also served a six-month ban handed by the Pakistan Cricket Board for a spot-fixing approach. To his credit, he has fought his way out of that.
Pakistan are leading the two-match series 1-0. They appeared to be reaching a strong position in the second Test following the Afridi burst. But the runs added by Muthusamy & Co. changed the game.
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