Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi struck with the very first ball of the second ODI against Australia at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Tuesday, placing him among an uncommon group of Pakistan captains to take a wicket immediately in an ODI.
Key takeaways
- Shaheen claimed the breakthrough by dismissing Alex Carey with the opening delivery of the second ODI in Lahore.
- The wicket marked Shaheen as the third Pakistan captain to take a wicket with the first ball of an ODI.
- Wasim Akram was the first Pakistan captain to do it, dismissing Andy Flower in Karachi on December 24, 1993.
- Waqar Younis followed as the second, removing Marcus Trescothick with the first ball at Headingley in Leeds on June 17, 2001.
- Imran Khan was the earliest Pakistan player to achieve the opening-ball wicket in ODIs, doing so vs India in Sharjah on March 22, 1985.
A rare opening-ball achievement for Shaheen
Pakistan’s captain Shaheen Shah Afridi opened the bowling and struck immediately, getting Alex Carey out with the first delivery he bowled. Carey was beaten and ended up bowled, handing Pakistan an early breakthrough in the contest.
With that wicket, Shaheen joined the select list of Pakistan captains who have managed to take a wicket with the opening ball of an ODI. The feat places him after predecessors who delivered similar instant impact from ball one.
Who else has done it for Pakistan?
Wasim Akram was the trailblazer for Pakistan in this category. He dismissed Zimbabwe batter Andy Flower with the first ball of an ODI in Karachi on December 24, 1993.
Waqar Younis became the second Pakistan captain to reach the milestone, taking out England batter Marcus Trescothick with the opening delivery of an ODI at Headingley in Leeds on June 17, 2001.
Imran Khan stands as an important reference point as well. He was the first player from Pakistan to record an opening-ball wicket in ODI cricket, achieving the mark against India in Sharjah on March 22, 1985, when he dismissed Ravi Shastri with the first ball of the match.
That same ODI saw Imran Khan go on to produce a bigger haul, taking five additional wickets and finishing with bowling figures of 6 for 14.
Shaheen’s repeat impact
Shaheen’s latest accomplishment also adds to a broader pattern among Pakistan bowlers. He is now the third Pakistan bowler, following Wasim Akram and Mohammad Irfan, to take a wicket with the first ball of an ODI on more than one occasion.
He previously managed the same feat in April 2022, when he dismissed Australia’s Travis Head with the opening delivery of an ODI.
