Sports

World Cup: Shaheen Afridi equals Wasim Akram's record

Shaheen bagged 18 wickets in World Cup 2023 matching Wasim Akram's wickets in mega event's 1992

By Faizan Lakhani
November 11, 2023
Shaheen Shah Afridi celebrates after taking the wicket of Bangladesh´s Najmul Hossain Shanto during the 2023 ICC Men´s Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between Pakistan and Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on October 31, 2023. —AFP
Shaheen Shah Afridi celebrates after taking the wicket of Bangladesh´s Najmul Hossain Shanto during the 2023 ICC Men´s Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between Pakistan and Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on October 31, 2023. —AFP

KOLKATA: Pakistan's leading pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has tied the legendary Wasim Akram for the most number of wickets for Pakistan in a single edition of the World Cup.

Shaheen, who bagged two wickets in the ongoing match against defending champions England, the left-arm pacer's wicket tally for World Cup 2023 reached 18 to equal that of Akram's in the 1992 edition of the mega event.

The milestone follows Shaheen's other achievement as he became the quickest fast-bowler to complete 100 wickets in one-day internationals (ODI) during the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh on October 31.

The left-handed bowler achieved the feat in 51 matches, overtaking Australia’s Mitchell Starc who bagged this many wickets in 52 outings.

He is also the fastest Pakistani bowler to reach 100 wickets, going past Saqlain Mushtaq who did it in 53 matches.

Previously Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane claimed 100 wickets in 42 outings while Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan reached the milestone in 44 matches.

Shaheen is also the joint-second-highest wicket-taker in a World Cup for Pakistan with former spinner Shahid Afridi claiming 21 wickets in 2011.

In ODIs, he has bagged 104 wickets so far at an average of 23.94 — of which 42 came in 2023 alone at an average of 24.04.