Pakistan skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi etched his name into the record books on Tuesday after taking a wicket with the first delivery of the second ODI against the Australian national cricket team at Gaddafi Stadium.
Opening the bowling for Pakistan, Shaheen struck immediately by clean bowling Australian batter Alex Carey with the opening ball of the match. The early breakthrough gave Pakistan the perfect start in front of their home crowd.
Shaheen Becomes Third Pakistan Captain to Achieve Feat
With that dismissal, Shaheen became only the third Pakistan captain to claim a wicket with the first ball of an ODI match.
The achievement places him alongside two legendary Pakistan fast bowlers:
- Wasim Akram – dismissed Andy Flower with the first ball of an ODI in Karachi on December 24, 1993.
- Waqar Younis – removed Marcus Trescothick with the opening delivery of an ODI at Headingley on June 17, 2001.
- Shaheen Shah Afridi – dismissed Alex Carey in Lahore in 2026.
Imran Khan Was Pakistan’s First Bowler to Do It
Long before Akram and Waqar, former Pakistan captain Imran Khan became the first Pakistani bowler to take a wicket with the opening ball of an ODI.
He achieved the feat against the India national cricket team in Sharjah on March 22, 1985, when he dismissed Ravi Shastri with the first delivery of the match.
Imran went on to produce one of the finest bowling performances of his ODI career, finishing with remarkable figures of 6 for 14.
Another Milestone for Shaheen
This was not the first time Shaheen had taken a wicket with the opening ball of an ODI.
In April 2022, he dismissed Travis Head with the first delivery of a one-day international.
As a result, Shaheen became only the third Pakistani bowler to achieve the feat more than once, joining Wasim Akram and Mohammad Irfan in an exclusive club.
The record further highlights Shaheen’s reputation as one of the most dangerous new-ball bowlers in world cricket, capable of making an impact from the very first delivery.