After nearly 25 years, Shaheen Afridi joined the exclusive list of bowlers to scalp a wicket off the first ball of an ODI match. Check details
Published: June 2, 2026, 9:02 PM IST
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Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi celebrates after the dismissal of England’s Jos Buttler during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match between England and Pakistan at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Tuesday, February 24, 2026. (IANS)
Pakistan’s ODI captain Shaheen Afridi has joined former greats like Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram in a rare and exclusive bowling list during the 2nd of a 3-match home one-day series against Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The Green Army are coming on the back of a comprehensive 5-wicket win in the 1st encounter two days ago in the same venue.
Australia had left a target of just 201 runs, after batting first, which Pakistan chased down easily within the 43rd over. Young all-rounder Arafat Minhas was adjudged player of the match for his extraordinary bowling performance which saw him scalp 5/32 in the 1st innings. He later scored 18 runs off 17 during the hosts’ successful chase.
The Green Army has a very good chance of claiming an unassailable 2-0 lead and win their 4th home ODI series against the Australians since 1982/83.
Shaheen Afridi gets a wicket off first ball to join Pakistan’s very best
After putting Australia to bat first in Lahore, Shaheen Afridi came out all guns blazing as he took a wicket off the first ball of the mach. Afridi got his side off to a perfect start with a fullish and wide of off-stump delivery which shaped away from Alex Carey who tried to slash the ball towards square but ended up dragging onto his own stumps with a thick inside edge.
It left Carey absolutely stunned as he got dismissed for a golden duck but Shaheen Afridi and his side were full of smiles and cheers. The left-arm pacer became just the 3rd Pakistani bowler to extract a wicket off the first ball.
Former left-arm wizard Wasim Akram was the first one to do so in December 1993 when he dismissed Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower off the first ball during an ODI match played in Karachi.
Former right-arm pacer Waqar Younis joined Akram in the rare list 8 years later when he sent England opener Marcus Trescothick back to the dressing room in the first ball of an ODI match played on June 17, 2001 at Headingly. 25 years later, Shaheen Afridi has become the latest to do so for Pakistan.
Australia restricted to 231/9
Meanwhile, Pakistan has restricted Australia at 231/9 in the 1st innings of the 2nd ODI match, 31 runs more than what the Aussies posted in the 1st encounter. Stand-in captain Josh Inglis scored 51 off 74 while Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw and Oliver Peake contributed 53, 43 and 31 respectively to get to the total.
PAK Vs AUS, 2nd ODI: Playing XIs
Australia (Playing XI): Alex Carey, Matthew Short, Josh Inglis(w/c), Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw, Oliver Peake, Nathan Ellis, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa.
Pakistan (Playing XI): Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam, Ghazi Ghori(w), Arafat Minhas, Salman Agha, Abdul Samad, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi(c), Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
