Oman‘s veteran fast bowler Bilal Khan has etched his name into cricketing history by becoming the fastest pacer to take 100 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Achieving this milestone in a match against Namibia during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, Bilal reached his 100th ODI wicket in just 49 matches.
Bilal Khan scripts history
In the high-stakes game held in Dundee, Bilal delivered an impressive performance, claiming three wickets for 50 runs. This achievement highlighted his exceptional skill and surpassed the previous record held by Pakistan‘s Shaheen Shah Afridi, who had claimed 100 wickets in 51 matches.
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Top 5 fastest pacers to take 100 ODI wickets:
1. Bilal Khan (Oman) – 49 matches
On July 24, Bilal etched his name into the record books, becoming the fastest pacer to reach 100 ODI wickets. He achieved the feat against Namibia in match 17 of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2. So far, he has taken 101 wickets in 49 matches he has played
2. Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan) – 51 matches
Before Bilal’s record, Pakistan’s Afridi was the fastest pacer to take 100 ODI wickets. Afridi achieved this milestone against Namibia, dismissing Jan Frylinck and Namibia’s captain, Gerhard Erasmus, to reach his 100th wicket. In his career Afridi has played total of 53 ODI matches and has taken 104 wickets.
3. Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 52 matches
Australian pacer Starc reached the 100-wicket mark in just 52 ODIs. Starc secured his 100th wicket against Sri Lanka by dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva. The 34-year-old left-arm bowler is known for his formidable pace and has accumulated 236 wickets over his ODI career. He was also named Player of the Tournament in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2015.
4. Shane Bond (New Zealand) – 54 matches
Former New Zealand fast bowler Bond reached his 100th ODI wicket in 54 matches, with his landmark wicket coming against England. Bond, who retired in May 2010, concluded his ODI career with 147 wickets in 82 matches.
5. Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) – 54 matches
Bangladeshi left-arm pacer Rahman also reached the 100-wicket milestone in 54 ODIs. Rahman achieved this feat against Pakistan in July 2019. Known for his impressive debut against India in June 2015, where he took a five-wicket haul, Rahman has accumulated 164 ODI wickets in 104 matches and was the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2019.
