Bilal Khan Breaks Shaheen Shah Afridi’s World Record, Becomes Fastest Pacer In The World To...

Oman’s star pacer Bilal Khan created history on Wednesday (July 24) by becoming the fastest fast bowler in the world to take 100 wickets in ODIs. The 37-year-old Peshawar-born left-arm medium pacer achieved the milestone during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match played between Oman and Namibia in Dundee.

Bilal dismissed three batters for 50 runs in his quota of 10 overs. The three wickets helped him to take his tally of wickets to 101 in 49 ODIs, and in the process, he broke star Pakistani pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi’s world record of dismissing 100 batters in 51 ODIs.

Fastest pacers to take 100 wickets in ODIs

• Bilal Khan (Oman) – 49
• Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan) – 51
• Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 52
• Shane Bond (New Zealand) -54
• Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) – 54

Shaheen had achieved the feat during the ODI World Cup 2023 match played between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Kolkata on October 31.

The all-time record of becoming the fastest bowler to dismiss 100 batters in ODIs is in the name of Nepal spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who achieved the feat in his 42nd match itself, and he is followed by Afghanistan star Rashid Khan, who needed 44 ODIs for 100 wickets. Bilal is now third on the list and is followed by Shaheen (51 ODIs) and Australian pacer Mitchell Starc (52 ODIs).

Fastest to take 100 wickets in ODIs

• Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal) – 42
• Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – 44
• Bilal Khan (Oman) – 49
• Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan) – 51
• Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 52

Bilal is also the first bowler from his country to take 100 or more wickets in ODIs. In addition to 101 wickets in 49 ODIs, he also has 110 wickets to his name in 79 T20Is played so far.

Oman beat Namibia

In the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match, Oman defeated Namibia by four wickets. The Aqib Ilyas-led side, which suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Namibia in the T20 World Cup 2024 match last month, restricted Gerhard Erasmus & Co. for 196 runs in 50 overs and then chased down the required target in 49.1 overs for the loss of six wickets.

Captain Ilyas top-scored for Oman by making 68 runs from 129 balls, and No. 6 batter Khalid Kail made a contribution of 43 runs from 55 balls.