And who is the oldest man to debut for Pakistan in Tests?
Steven Lynch28-Oct-2025The Afghanistan seamer Ziaur Rahman took 7 for 97 in the first innings of his Test debut. Where does this stand overall for debut performances? asked Len Harrison from England
Ziaur Rahman’s figures of 7 for 97 against Zimbabwe in Harare last week are the best on debut for Afghanistan, beating Amir Hamza’s 5 for 74 against West Indies in Lucknow in 2019. Nijat Masood took 5 for 79 on his debut, against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2023.Ziaur, whose only previous international was a T20I against Ireland more than six years previously, was the 24th man to take seven or more wickets in an innings on Test debut (there have been 26 instances, as Bob Massie and Narendra Hirwani took two lots of eight in their first match). The best figures of all by a player in his first Test are 8 for 43, by Albert Trott for Australia against England in Adelaide in 1895. There have also been three instances in women’s Tests.All seven of Ziaur’s victims were bowled or lbw: he’s the first to take seven wickets in an innings on Test debut without any help from a fielder. The Pakistan pair of Mohammad Nazir (7 for 99 against New Zealand in Karachi in 1969) and Mohammad Zahid (7 for 66 against New Zealand in Rawalpindi late in 1996) both had six, plus one to a catch by a fielder. The only previous players to take an unassisted five-for on Test debut were the old England pair of Douglas Carr (5 for 146 in his only Test, against Australia at The Oval in 1909) and Wally Hammond (5 for 36 against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1927), and Pakistan’s Shahid Nazir, with 5 for 53 against Zimbabwe in Sheikhupura in 1996.When did Zimbabwe last win a Test by an innings? asked Tinashe Ndlovu from Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s big win over Afghanistan in Harare last week was their 15th win in all Tests – they have played 129 now – but only the third by an innings. The first of those was by an innings and 64 runs over Pakistan in Harare in 1995, and they also beat Bangladesh by an innings and 32 in Bulawayo in 2001.Last week’s win was Zimbabwe’s second in six months, but their first at home for more than 12 years, since they beat Pakistan by 24 runs in Harare in 2013.Asif Afridi is the third-oldest player to debut for Pakistan in men’s Tests•AFP/Getty ImagesWhat was the most overs bowled by spinners in an ODI before West Indies used them for all 50 against Bangladesh recently? asked Jason Jandu from England
You’re right that the West Indian spinners bowled all 50 overs in last week’s ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur: Akeal Hosein (who only arrived in Dhaka a few hours earlier), Roston Chase, Khary Pierre, Gudakesh Motie and Alick Athanaze all delivered their full allocation of ten overs. It worked – just – as West Indies won in a Super Over after a tie.Before this there had been three ODI innings which contained 44 overs from spinners, all of them by Sri Lanka: against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1996, New Zealand in Colombo in 1998, and Australia in Dambulla in 2004.Two Indians scored centuries in their Women’s World Cup match against New Zealand last week. Has this happened before in a World Cup match? asked Milind Ekanth from India
India’s openers Pratika Rawal (122) and Smriti Mandhana (109) both scored centuries in an imposing total of 340 for 3 against New Zealand in Navi Mumbai last week. This was the ninth occasion a Women’s World Cup innings had contained two centuries. Mandhana was also involved in the previous instance, against West Indies in Hamilton (New Zealand) in 2022, when she scored 123 and Harmanpreet Kaur 109.Asif Afridi made his Test debut last week aged 38. Is he the oldest to win a first cap for Pakistan? asked Akhtar Nasir from Pakistan
Slow left-armer Asif Afridi was born on Christmas Day in 1986, so was around 38 years ten months old when he made his Test debut last week against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.Two players made their debuts for Pakistan when older, both in the 1950s. Offspinner Miran Bakhsh was 47 years 284 days old when he played against India in Lahore in 1955, and legspinner Amir Elahi was 45 days past his 44th birthday against India in Delhi in October 1952. That was Pakistan’s inaugural Test match: Elahi had previously played one Test for India, aged 39 in 1947-48.The next oldest debutant for Pakistan was seamer Tabish Khan, who was 36 years 146 days old when he won his only cap, against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2021. For the list of the oldest debutants from all countries, click here.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions