Shaheen Shah Afridi, a renowned fast bowler, has become an indispensable part of Pakistan’s national cricket team across all three formats due to his exceptional ability to take wickets.
A key strength of the left-arm pacer lies in his mastery of swinging the ball in both directions, particularly when using the new ball. This skill has proven to be a potent weapon for securing early breakthroughs for the Pakistani team.
At just 23 years of age, Shaheen Shah Afridi has already established a notable record. He holds the distinction of being Pakistan’s top wicket-taker in his first 23 One Day International (ODI) matches, outshining several legendary bowlers in this regard.
During his initial 23 ODI matches, this stylish fast bowler has impressively captured a total of 47 wickets, maintaining an average of 22.02. Notably, he has achieved a four-wicket haul on six separate occasions.
Also Read: Why did the PCB bar players from attending Haris Rauf’s wedding?
Following closely on the list of top wicket-takers in the first 23 ODIs is Hasan Ali, who has secured 46 wickets with an average of 22.17. In the third position stands Haris Rauf with 44 wickets to his credit.
Among other notable bowlers, former pacer Wahab Riaz ranks fourth on the list, having taken 40 wickets. Legendary pacer Sarfaraz Nawaz, with an economy rate of 3.77, achieved 40 wickets at the same stage of his career.
The following table presents the top wicket-takers and their statistics in the first 23 ODIs of their careers:
| Bowler, | Wickets | Average | Economy Rate | 4W |
| Shaheen Afridi | 47 | 22.02 | 5.33 | 6 |
| Hasan Ali | 46 | 22.17 | 5.28 | 3 |
| Haris Rauf | 44 | 25.47 | 5.75 | 4 |
| Wahab Riaz | 40 | 23.32 | 5.23 | 1 |
| Sarfaraz Nawaz | 39 | 20.05 | 3.77 | 3 |
| Shoaib Akhtar | 38 | 21.13 | 4.29 | 1 |
| Saqlain Mushtaq | 38 | 23.15 | 4.49 | 1 |
| Waqar Younis | 37 | 18.59 | 3.93 | 4 |
| Junaid Khan | 37 | 22.83 | 4.79 | 2 |
