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Yasir fastest to take 200 Test wickets, breaks 82-yr record

December 07, 2018 00:00:00


ABU DHABI, Dec 06 (Agencies): Pakistan's leg-spinner Yasir Shah became on Thursday the fastest cricketer to take 200 Test wickets, breaking an 82-year-old record on the fourth day of the third Test against New Zealand.

The 32-year-old trapped nightwatchman Will Somerville leg before for four -- his second wicket of the New Zealand second innings -- to reach the milestone in his 33rd Test, beating Australian leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett's record of 36 Tests achieved against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1936.

Two years ago, India's premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was on track to break Grimmett's milestone, but fell short of the record by just one match.

Following Grimmett and Ashwin, Australia's Dennis Lillee (38 Tests), Pakistan's Waqar Younis (38 Tests) and South Africa's Dale Steyn (39 Tests) held the top five spots in the list of fastest to 200 wickets before Yasir Shah achieved the milestone.

His 14 for 184 were the second best match figures in a Test for Pakistan, behind former captain and current prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, who bagged 14 for 116 against Sri Lanka in Lahore in 1982.

Yasir began the Abu Dhabi Test with 195 wickets in 32 Tests and on the opening day grabbed three early wickets but BJ Watling resisted with 77 not out, leaving him having to complete his landmark in the second innings.

The leg-spinner earlier became the first bowler since Anil Kumble to pick up 10 wickets in a single day during the second Test against New Zealand in Dubai. Shah returned with figures of 8/41 in the first innings and 2/65 in the second innings (follow-on) on day three of the Dubai Test.

Yasir was also the fastest Pakistani to 50 wickets (nine Tests), reached 100 wickets in 17 Tests -- second only to Englishman George Lohmann who took 16 matches during a Test in Johannesburg in 1896.


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