Shaheen Afridi becomes first Pakistani bowler to achieve major WTC milestone

Shaheen Afridi created history for Pakistan on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Friday by reaching a major ICC World Test Championship milestone.

The left arm pacer became the first Pakistani bowler to claim 100 wickets in World Test Championship history after removing Bangladesh opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy.

The milestone also placed Afridi among an elite list, as he became only the 19th bowler overall to complete 100 wickets in the competition.

At just 26 years old, Afridi continues to establish himself as one of Pakistan’s most important red ball bowlers and remains the country’s highest wicket taker in WTC history. The ICC World Test Championship officially began on August 1, 2019, and Australia spinner Nathan Lyon is currently the leading wicket taker in the competition’s history with 210 wickets in 50 matches.

The milestone comes shortly after another strong campaign for Shaheen Afridi in the recently concluded 2026 Pakistan Super League, where he led Lahore Qalandars as captain. The left arm pacer picked up 16 wickets in 10 matches at an impressive average of 18.19.

Despite being only 26, Afridi has already built an outstanding international record across formats. In Tests, he has taken 121 wickets in 33 matches at an average of 27.92, with best figures of 6 for 51.

In ODI cricket, Afridi has claimed 139 wickets in 74 matches at an average of 25.13, while in T20 Internationals he has picked up 136 wickets in 103 games at an average of 21.35, including career best figures of 4 for 22.