Following a disappointing showing in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, the Pakistan men’s cricket team will kick off the 2024-25 season with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh at home. The first game is set to begin on Wednesday (August 21) at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and the second and final Test will be held at the National Stadium in Karachi starting August 30.
Having been swept 0-3 by Australia in a three-match Test series earlier in 2024, the team led by Shan Masood aims to put on a strong performance in the upcoming home series to maintain their hopes of qualifying for the 2025 World Test Championship final.
In the upcoming two-game series at home, fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has an opportunity to make history by becoming the first Pakistani bowler to take 100 wickets in the World Test Championship (WTC). The left-arm fast bowler, who is set to spearhead Pakistan’s bowling attack in the first Test, currently has 91 wickets from 24 Test matches. He needs just nine more wickets in the next two games to reach this prestigious milestone.
So far, 11 players have achieved the feat of taking 100 or more wickets in the WTC. India boasts three such players—R Ashwin (174), Jasprit Bumrah (110), and Ravindra Jadeja (102)—while Australia has four players—Nathan Lyon (187), Pat Cummins (175), Mitchell Starc (147), and Josh Hazlewood (109)—who have also dismissed over 100 batters.
Among Pakistani bowlers with the most wickets in the WTC, Shaheen is closely followed by Naseem Shah, who has 51 wickets. Naseem, who was injured during the Asia Cup 2023 match between India and Pakistan, last played a Test match against Sri Lanka.
Most wickets in WTC for Pakistan:
Shaheen Shah Afridi – 91
Naseem Shah – 51
Yasir Shah – 41
Noman Ali – 39
Abrar Ahmed – 38
The next two Test matches will provide Pakistan’s captain, Shan Masood, and vice captain, Saud Shakeel, with a chance to reach 1000 runs in the World Test Championship (WTC). Shan, who became Pakistan’s Test captain last year when Babar Azam resigned, has scored 985 runs in 18 matches. Meanwhile, Saud has scored 967 runs in 10 Test matches so far. Saud, a left-handed batsman, was recently named as Pakistan’s new vice captain for the upcoming series, replacing Shaheen.
