Pakistan’s Khurram Shahzad Records Best Figures By A Pacer At Home In 21 Years

Pakistan’s Khurram Shahzad scored the best figures by a Pakistani pace bowler at home in more than two decades of seam bowling during the second Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.

His performance on Day 3 was one of the most significant talking points and one of the most important aspects of recent Pakistani cricket history.

Coming back into action after a rain-marred first day, Bangladesh finally bowled Pakistan out for 274 runs on the second day. Saim Ayub, Shan Masood, and Salman Agha scored half-centuries each, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz picked up five wickets in return. At the end of the second day, Bangladesh had started their innings and were ten without loss.

Bangladesh Falters Under Intense Pressure

On the third day, Pakistan’s bowlers came out strong, with Khurram Shahzad leading the charge in a remarkable spell. Shahzad swiftly dismissed Zakir Hasan, catching him at short midwicket with his sixth delivery, and soon after, he removed both Shadman Islam and Najmul Hossain Shanto. Thanks to Shahzad’s impressive opening spell, Bangladesh quickly struggled at 20-3.

Shahzad claimed his fourth wicket in the morning session by trapping Shakib Al Hasan lbw, leaving Bangladesh struggling at 26-6. Although Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Litton Das mounted a determined fightback with a 165-run partnership for the seventh wicket, Shahzad broke the stand when he took a sharp return catch to dismiss Miraz. He then dismissed Taskin Ahmed, completing a remarkable six-wicket haul.

At the time of writing, Shahzad had impressive figures of 6-90, marking the best performance by a Pakistani pacer on home soil since Shoaib Akhtar’s 6-50 against Bangladesh in 2003.

During the years between 2009 and 2019, when international cricket was largely absent from Pakistan, only Tanvir Ahmed achieved a six-wicket haul at a temporary venue in the UAE.

Shahzad’s achievement adds to a string of outstanding performances by Pakistani bowlers, including Umar Gul, Abrar Ahmed, and Noman Ali, highlighting the rarity and significance of such a feat on home ground.