Pakistan left-arm spinner Asif Afridi on Wednesday became the oldest bowler in Test history to bag a five-wicket haul on debut, achieving the feat on the third day of the second Test against South Africa in Rawalpindi.
Afridi recorded the landmark when he dismissed South Africa spinner Simon Harmer leg-before on 10, reducing the visitors to 210 for seven in their pursuit of Pakistan’s first-innings score of 333.
Afridi broke a 92-year-old world record held by England’s Charles Marriott who picked two five-wicket hauls on debut against the West Indies on successive days at the Oval in 1933. Marriott was 37 years and 334 days old when he bagged the feat, nearly a year younger than Afridi who is 38 years and 301 days old as of Wednesday.
Afridi surpassed the Pakistan record held by his cur