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Asif Afridi (38 years and 301 days old) picked up his fifth wicket on the fifth ball of the 76th over of South Africa’s first innings.
Asif Afridi becomes oldest bowler to take five-wicket haul on Test debut. (Picture Credit: AP)
Pakistan’s Asif Afridi entered his name in the history books on Wednesday (October 22) by becoming the oldest bowler in history to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut. The 38-year-and-301-day-old cricketer from Peshawar picked up two wickets on Day 2 of the ongoing second Pakistan-South Africa Test in Rawalpindi and dismissed three more South African batters in the morning session of Day 3.
The oldest player to take a five-for on Test debut before Asif Afridi was England leg-spinner Charles Marriott.
Charles Marriott was 37 years and 332 days old when he made his Test debut for the English team against the West Indies at The Oval on August 12, 1933, and picked up 5 wickets for 37 runs in 11.5 overs of the first innings. In the second innings, he finished with figures of 6 for 59 in 29.2 overs.
John Traicos was 45 years and 215 days old when he picked up 5 wickets for 86 runs on his Test debut for Zimbabwe against India in Harare on October 18, 1992. But he had played three Tests for South Africa before turning up for Zimbabwe.
The record of being the oldest player to take a five-wicket haul in Test cricket is in the name of Bert Ironmonger. The Australian spinner was 49 years and 311 days old when he picked up 6 wickets for 18 runs against South Africa in Melbourne on February 12, 1932.
The record of being the oldest bowler to take a five-wicket haul for Pakistan is held by spinner Noman Ali. Noman was 39 years and 5 days old when he picked up 6 wickets for 112 runs against South Africa in the first innings of the first Test of the ongoing series at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
October 22, 2025, 11:24 IST
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