In cricket, a five-wicket haul, commonly called a “fifer”, is one of the most celebrated achievements for a bowler. It refers to a bowler taking five or more wickets in a single innings, a feat that often signifies dominance and impact on the game. Achieving a fifer is significant because it demonstrates not just skill but also consistency, control, and the ability to dismantle a batting lineup. This article talks about the youngest bowlers to have picked up a fifer in international cricket.
Credit: India.Com
Pat Cummins is an Australian professional cricketer who has played as a fast bowler throughout his career. He became one of the youngest players to take a fifer when he managed to do so on his Test debut on 17th November 2011 in a match against the South Africa cricket team. Cummins actually managed to pick up six wickets while conceding just 79 runs in 29 overs in the third inning of the game. Cummins managed to pick up the wickets of Jacques Rudolph, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, and Morne Morkel. Cummins was just 18 years and 193 days old when he picked up this fifer.
Rashid Khan is an Afghan professional cricketer renowned for his leg-spin bowling. He made headlines early in his career by taking his first ODI five-wicket haul at just 18 years and 178 days old. This remarkable feat came against Ireland on 17th March 2017. In that match, Rashid delivered a stunning performance, claiming six wickets for just 43 runs in 9.3 overs. His victims included key Irish players such as Paul Stirling, William Porterfield, Niall O’Brien, Gary Wilson, Andy McBrine, and Peter Chase. This display of talent established Rashid as one of the most promising young bowlers in world cricket.
Waqar Younis is a former Pakistani fast bowler who made an immediate impact in international cricket with his sheer pace and swing. He became one of the youngest players to take a five-wicket haul in ODIs when he achieved the feat at just 18 years and 164 days old. This came during a match against Sri Lanka, where Waqar delivered a fiery spell, taking six wickets for just 26 runs in his full quota of 10 overs. His victims included Hashan Tillakaratne, Aravinda de Silva, Brendon Kuruppu, Rumesh Ratnayake, Uvais Karnain, and Asoka de Silva. This performance marked the start of a legendary career.
Rehan Ahmed is an English professional cricketer who plays as a leg-spinner. He made history by becoming one of the youngest players to take a five-wicket haul in Test cricket at just 18 years and 126 days old. This remarkable achievement came during England’s tour of Pakistan. In the match, Rehan bowled a superb spell, taking five wickets for just 48 runs in 14.5 overs. His scalps included top-order and middle-order batters like Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, and Mohammad Wasim. This performance announced Rehan’s arrival on the Test stage with style and promise.
Daniel Vettori is a former New Zealand cricketer known for his crafty left-arm spin and calm demeanour on the field. He became one of the youngest players to claim a five-wicket haul in Test cricket at just 18 years and 46 days old. This impressive feat came during a Test match against Sri Lanka, where Vettori showcased his skill by taking five wickets for 84 runs in 29.2 overs. His victims included seasoned campaigners like Hashan Tillakaratne, Chaminda Vaas, Arjuna Ranatunga, Nuwan Zoysa, and Muthiah Muralidaran. This performance marked the beginning of a long and successful international career.
ALSO READ: Top 10 Yashasvi Jaiswal Highest Scores In IPL
Enamul Haque Jnr is a former Bangladeshi cricketer known for his left-arm spin. He became one of the youngest players to take a five-wicket haul in Test cricket at just 18 years and 32 days old. This milestone came during a Test match against Zimbabwe, where Enamul delivered a match-turning spell. He picked up six wickets for just 45 runs in 22.2 overs, dismissing key Zimbabwean batters, including Stuart Matsikenyeri, Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor, Tatenda Taibu, and Graeme Cremer. His brilliant performance played a crucial role in Bangladesh’s victory and marked him as a rising star in international cricket.
Mohammad Amir is a Pakistani fast bowler who burst onto the international scene with his raw pace and skill. He became one of the youngest players to claim a five-wicket haul in Test cricket at just 17 years and 257 days old. This impressive performance came against Australia, where Amir showcased his talent by taking five wickets for 79 runs in 24 overs. His scalps included some of the biggest names in world cricket, namely Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Marcus North, and Brad Haddin. This fiery spell marked Amir as a future star and a key asset for Pakistan’s bowling attack.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman is an Afghan professional cricketer known for his mystery spin and composure beyond his years. He became the youngest player to take a five-wicket haul in ODIs when he achieved the milestone at just 16 years and 325 days old. This memorable performance came against Zimbabwe, where Mujeeb picked up five wickets while conceding 50 runs. His victims included key Zimbabwean players like Solomon Mire, Hamilton Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Kyle Jarvis, and Blessing Muzarabani. This outstanding spell not only helped Afghanistan dominate the game but also marked the arrival of a prodigious talent on the world stage.
Naseem Shah is a Pakistani fast bowler who made history with his pace and maturity well beyond his years. He became the youngest fast bowler to take a five-wicket haul in Test cricket at just 16 years and 307 days old. This remarkable achievement came during a Test match against Sri Lanka, where Naseem delivered a fiery spell, claiming five wickets for just 31 runs in 12.5 overs. His victims included Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya, and Vishwa Fernando. This performance showcased his immense potential and marked the beginning of what promises to be an exciting career.
Nasim-ul-Ghani was a Pakistani left-arm spinner who made his mark at an incredibly young age. He became the youngest cricketer to take a five-wicket haul in Test cricket at just 16 years and 303 days old. This historic performance came against the West Indies, where Nasim bowled tirelessly, getting five wickets for 116 runs in 41.4 overs. His impressive scalps included legendary batters such as Garry Sobers, Everton Weekes, Rohan Kanhai, Ivan Madray, and Roy Gilchrist. Despite his youth, Nasim displayed remarkable skill and composure, etching his name into the record books as a trailblazer for teenage cricketers.
For more news articles and informative updates on Lionel Messi’s salary and net worth as well as other football and cricket updates, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com.
Guransh Machra is a sportswriter at Gutshot Magazine. He covers football news from local leagues like the Indian Super League as well as international leagues like the Premier League. He follows various sports like Football, Cricket, Formula 1, and Tennis. Apart from sports, Guransh is also enthusiastic about reading and gaming.
Use referral code GUTSHOT
Offer: Get Instant ₹100 FREE Register
First deposit on PlayerzPot
Offer: Get 100% bonus up to ₹10,000 Register
4% commission on friends' deposits
Offer: Sign-up & get ₹500 FREE Register
Sign-up Now
Offer: Get ₹50 FREE Register
Download the app
Offer: Get ₹1,500* FREE Register