Afghanistan’s Allah Ghazanfar registers second-best figures for a spinner in Sharjah
It was a day to remember for 18-year-old Allah Ghazanfar at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium as the teenager registered the second-best figures for an Afghanistan bowler in ODIs, and the second-best figures by a spinner in Sharjah, to bowl Afghanistan to a 92-run victory over Bangladesh in the first ODI on November 6 (Wednesday).
Playing just his sixth ODI, Ghazanfar ran through Bangladesh’s middle and lower-order to give his side a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Chasing 236, Bangladesh were well-stationed at 132/3 in the 31st over to chase down the total. That is when the teenager decided to take the matter into his own hands. He dismissed the set Mehidy Hasan Miraz (28) to open the floodgates.
Rashid Khan dismissed Mahmudullah soon after, post which the 18-year-old took four of the last five wickets to fall to become the third-youngest Afghanistan bowler to take a five-wicket haul in ODIs.
At 18 years and 231 days old, Ghazanfar is, in fact, the fourth youngest full-member bowler to take a five-wicket haul in ODI cricket. His 6/26 are now the second-best figures by a spinner in Sharjah, with Muttiah Muralitharan’s 7/30 against India in 2000 still topping the list.
Here are a list of notable numbers that have emerged on the back of the 18-year-old’s special showing:
Best bowling figures for Afghanistan in ODIs
Rashid Khan – 7/18 vs West Indies in Gros Islet, 2017
Allah Ghazanfar – 6/26 vs Bangladesh in Sharjah, 2024
Rashid Khan – 6/43 vs Ireland in Greater Noida, 2017
Gulbadin Naib – 6/43 vs Ireland in Belfast, 2019
Youngest Afghan bowlers to take a 5-fer in ODIs
16y 325d – Mujeeb ur Rahman vs Zimbabwe in 2018
18y 178d – Rashid Khan vs Ireland in 2017
18y 231d – Allah Ghazanfar vs Bangladesh in 2024
Youngest full-member bowlers to take a 5-fer in ODIs
16y 325d – Mujeeb ur Rahman vs Zimbabwe in 2018
18y 164d – Waqar Younis vs Sri Lanka in 1990
18y 178d – Rashid Khan vs Ireland in 2017
18y 231d – Allah Ghazanfar vs Bangladesh in 2024
Best figures for a spinner in Sharjah in ODIs
7/30 – Muttiah Muralitharan vs IND in 2000
6/26 – Allah Ghazanfar vs BAN in 2024
5/9 – Muttiah Muralitharan vs NZ in 2002
5/17 – Mohammad Nabi vs IRE in 2024
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