Abrar Ahmed On Seventh Heaven

The 24-year-old from Karachi became the third Pakistan bowler to take seven wickets on Test debut after Mohammad Nazir (7/99) and Mohammad Zahid (7/66).

Abrar Ahmed celebrates after taking five wickets against England. (Image: Twitter/ICC)

Multan: “I will eye to take wickets of Stokes and Root,” Abrar Ahmed had said before the Test series against England. One Test later, the 24-year-old from Karachi dismissed both the batters on debut en route to become the third Pakistani to take seven wickets on Test debut.

Mohammad Zahid (7/66 vs New Zealand in 1996) and Mohammad Nazir (7/99 vs New Zealand in 1969) were the only other Pakistan bowlers to take seven wickets on Test debut.

Abrar, a mystery spinner, took the first seven wickets of the England innings and was on verge of becoming the first Pakistani and fourth bowler overall to take all 10 wickets in an innings of a Test match.

2️⃣2️⃣ overs
1️⃣1️⃣4️⃣ runs
7️⃣ wickets

Man of the moment Abrar Ahmed! ✨#PAKvENG | #UKSePK pic.twitter.com/zLaPtG5unr

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) December 9, 2022

But that dream went shattered when Ollie Robinson holed out to Mohammad Nawaz off Zahir Mahmood to break the streak. Mahmood took the remaining two wickets ass well to finish with figures of 3/63.

Abrar finished the innings with figures of 7/114 in the second Test against England. He also became the 13th Pakistani to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut. Abrar also became the only second bowler on debut to take a five-wicket haul before lunch on the Day 1 of a Test match.

Dream debut for Abrar MashAllah.
So good to see.

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) December 9, 2022

The first was West Indian Alf Valentine (left-arm spinner) who did in Manchester in June 1950. Abrar also achieved a rare feat of taking a five-wicket haul on in the opening session of a men’s Test.

Only three players — Charlie Turner (AUS, in 1887 vs ENG), Fred Martin (ENG, in 1890 vs AUS) and Valentine (WI, in 1950 vs ENG) have achieved the feat before Abrar.

Published Date: December 9, 2022 3:49 PM IST