Imran Tahir has broken the world record for the oldest bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in men's T20 cricket. The South African leg-spinner, aged 47 years and 166 days, returned figures of 5-17 for Guyana Amazon Warriors against Saint Lucia Kings at Providence Stadium in Guyana during the Caribbean Premier League 2026 on Thursday, September 10. The performance also stands as his career-best bowling return in the format.
The record had previously belonged to Cook Islands spinner Tomakunte Ritawa,
who took 5-19 against Fiji at Port Vila in 2022 at the age of 46 years and 299 days. Tahir has surpassed that mark by a clear margin, becoming the oldest man in history to bowl a side out with five wickets in men's T20 cricket.
What makes this achievement particularly striking is that Tahir himself occupies three additional positions in the top ten on the all-time list. He had previously held second place after taking 5-21 for Guyana Amazon Warriors against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons at North Sound in 2025, when he was 46 years and 148 days old. He has now moved past even that landmark to claim the outright record.
How does Tahir's 5-17 compare with his other five-wicket hauls?
Tahir's 5-17 against Saint Lucia Kings is his best-ever return in men's T20 cricket, bettering the 5-21 he took for the Warriors in 2025. Before that, he had claimed 5-26 for Rangpur Riders against Khulna Tigers in Chattogram in 2024, when he was 44 years and 323 days old, and 5-25 for Birmingham Phoenix against Welsh Fire in Birmingham in 2021, when he was 42 years and 135 days old. All four of those five-wicket hauls appear in the top ten on the all-time list, a level of dominance in this particular category that no other bowler comes close to matching.
Across those four entries, Tahir has represented three different franchises in three different competitions, spanning the Caribbean Premier League, the Bangladesh Premier League and The Hundred in England, underlining the consistency with which he has performed at the highest level well into his forties.
Who else features among the oldest bowlers to take a five-for in men's T20s?
Outside of Tahir and Ritawa, the all-time list includes Prakash Mishra, who took 5-16 for Bulgaria against Croatia in Sofia in 2023 at 44 years and 165 days old. Santha Moorthy claimed 5-20 for Puducherry against Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium in 2021 at 41 years and 129 days old. Kenute Tulloch took 5-21 for Cayman Islands against Bahamas in Coolidge in 2006 at 41 years and 7 days old.
Oldest bowlers to pick up a five-for in men's T20s: Imran Tahir breaks world record
|
Player |
Age |
Bowling figures |
Team |
Opponent |
Ground |
Year |
|
Imran Tahir |
47y 166d |
5-17 |
Guyana Amazon Warriors |
St Lucia Kings |
Providence |
2026 |
|
Tomakunte Ritawa |
46y 299d |
5-19 |
Cook Islands |
Fiji |
Port vila |
2022 |
|
Imran Tahir |
46y 148d |
5-21 |
Guyana Amazon Warriors |
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons |
North Sound |
2025 |
|
Imran Tahir |
44y 323d |
5-26 |
Rangpur Riders |
Khulna Tigers |
Chattogram |
2024 |
|
Prakash Mishra |
44y 165d |
5-16 |
Bulgaria |
Croatia |
Sofia |
2023 |
|
Imran Tahir |
42y 135d |
5-25 |
Birmingham Phoenix |
Welsh Fire |
Birmingham |
2021 |
|
Santha Moorthy |
41y 129d |
5-20 |
Puducherry |
Mumbai |
Wankhede |
2021 |
|
Kenute Tulloch |
41y 7d |
5-21 |
Cayman Islands |
Bahamas |
Coolidge |
2006 |
|
Michael Hogan |
40y 361d |
5-18 |
Glamorgan |
Surrey |
The Oval |
2022 |
|
Dilruwan Perera |
40y 315d |
5-14 |
Burgher Recreation Club |
Galle CC |
Colombo (CCC) |
2023 |
Also Read: 'Mehidy Hasan Miraz is a world-class bowler' - Imran Tahir extols Bangladesh spinner's impressive CPL debut
Tahir's four entries in the top ten place him in a category of his own. No other bowler in men's T20 cricket has taken a five-wicket haul at anything close to his current age, and his latest effort in CPL 2026 has extended that record further still.
