Shaheen Shah Afridi made a significant impact in the first ODI against the West Indies at Tarouba, not only with his match-winning performance but also in the record books.
His 4/51 in the opening game
of the three-match series helped Pakistan bowl out the hosts for 280, and he surpassed Mohammed Shami to achieve the best strike rate in men’s ODIs (minimum 100 wickets) among bowlers from Full Member nations.
Shaheen’s strike rate now stands at 25.4, surpassing Shami’s 25.8, according to Wisden.
Shaheen’s statistics continue to highlight his influence, with his 131 wickets being the most by any bowler after their first 65 ODIs. He is also the only bowler in history to average more than two wickets per match at this stage.
The previous best was held jointly by Australia’s Mitchell Starc and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, with 129 wickets each. With his current tally, Shaheen is set to retain the record after 66 matches as well.
To surpass the 67-match mark, he will need to exceed Starc’s record of 133 wickets.
What Happened In West Indies vs Pakistan 1st ODI?
Opting to field after winning the toss, Pakistan struck early through Shaheen, assisted by Naseem Shah (3/55). For West Indies, Evin Lewis (60), Shai Hope (55), and Roston Chase (53) all scored fifties, but the home side couldn’t build a commanding total.
In response, Pakistan’s chase had some anxious moments. Babar Azam scored 47 and Mohammad Rizwan 53, but at 180/5, the game was still uncertain. Hasan Nawaz then made a brilliant 63 off 54 balls and Hussain Talat scored 41 off 37 balls, partnering to guide the visitors to victory with five wickets and seven balls to spare. They stitched together an unbeaten 104-run partnership.
“At the start, the spinners were great, but once the dew came in it got easier,” player-of-the match Nawaz told the host broadcaster.
“It was tough to play in conditions like this, and the toss had a big part,” Hope said. “Maybe we could’ve got more runs. Credit to our bowlers for fighting at the end. We needed to score more in the middle overs. But all in all, we’re still one step behind.”
The second match in the ODI series is scheduled for Sunday and the third and final on Tuesday, also at Brian Lara Stadium.
(With inputs from Agencies)
