Oman fast bowler Bilal Khan has become the fastest pacer in the world to take 100 wickets in ODI cricket, surpassing Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi's record.
The 37-year-old left-arm medium pacer, born in Peshawar, reached this milestone during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 match between Oman and Namibia in Dundee.
Bilal took three wickets for 50 runs in his allotted 10 overs. These three wickets brought his total to 101 in 49 ODIs, thereby breaking Shaheen's world record of taking 100 wickets in 51 ODIs.
Fastest pacers to take 100 wickets in ODIs
Bilal Khan (Oman) – 49
Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan) – 51
Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 52
Shane Bond (New Zealand) -54
Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) – 54
Shaheen accomplished this feat during the ODI World Cup 2023 match between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Kolkata on 31 October.
The record for becoming the fastest bowler to dismiss 100 batters in ODIs is held by Nepalese spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who achieved this milestone in his 42nd match. He is followed by Afghan star Rashid Khan, who needed 44 ODIs to reach 100 wickets.
Bilal now occupies the third spot on the list, followed by Shaheen (51 ODIs) and Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc (52 ODIs).
Fastest to take 100 wickets in ODIs
Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal) – 42
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – 44
Bilal Khan (Oman) – 49
Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan) – 51
Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 52
Bilal is also the first bowler from his country to take 100 or more wickets in ODIs. In addition to 101 wickets in 49 ODIs, he has also claimed 110 wickets in 79 T20Is.
In the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match, Oman defeated Namibia by four wickets. The Aqib Ilyas-led side, which had suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Namibia in the T20 World Cup 2024 match last month, restricted Gerhard Erasmus and his team to 196 runs in 50 overs and then chased down the target in 49.1 overs for the loss of six wickets.
Captain Ilyas top-scored for Oman with 68 runs from 129 balls, and No. 6 batter Khalid Kail contributed 43 runs from 55 balls.
- Shaheen Afridi
