Shaheen Afridi Achieves Major T20I Milestone in Durban

Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan’s star pacer, reached a significant milestone in T20I cricket by becoming the third Pakistani bowler to claim 100 wickets. Afridi achieved this during the ongoing T20I series against South Africa in Durban, surpassing Shahid Afridi's 97 T20I wickets and taking three key scalps—Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, and Nkaba Yomzi Peter.

Afridi now joins an elite group of Pakistani bowlers, with Haris Rauf leading at 110 wickets and Shadab Khan at 107. This achievement underscores Afridi’s standing as one of the top fast bowlers in modern cricket.

South Africa Wins Opening T20I
Despite Afridi’s historic achievement, South Africa clinched an 11-run victory in the first T20I at Kingsmead. Spinner George Linde played a pivotal role, smashing 48 runs off 24 balls and taking 4-21, helping South Africa set a total of 183-9. David Miller also contributed with a blistering 82 off 40 deliveries.

Pakistan’s chase fell short despite captain Mohammad Rizwan’s determined 74 runs, finishing at 172-8. The second T20I will be played in Pretoria on Friday, followed by the third in Johannesburg on Saturday. The series will conclude with three ODIs next week.

Key Highlights:

• Shaheen’s Milestone: Third Pakistani to reach 100 T20I wickets.
• Record Holders: Haris Rauf (110 wickets) and Shadab Khan (107 wickets) top the list.
• Match Result: South Africa won by 11 runs in the first T20I.
• Star Performances:
  • Shaheen Afridi: 3 wickets, reaching 100 T20I dismissals.
  • George Linde: 48 runs and 4 wickets for South Africa.
  • Mohammad Rizwan: Top-scored for Pakistan with 74 runs.