Yasir Shah second Pakistani to enter 14 wicket club

Web Desk

AFP

November 27, 2018

Yasir Shah holds a ball after beating New Zealand in the second Test cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium on November 27, 2018. Photo: AFP

DUBAI: Yasir Shah spun his way into the record books on Tuesday when he became the second Pakistani to pick up 14 wickets in a Test match.

In Pakistan’s second Test match against New Zealand, Shah picked up 8 wickets in the first session followed by 6 in the second to finish with figures of 14-184.

Yasir’s figures are the second best match return ever for Pakistan in Test cricket, bettered only by former captain and current Prime Minister Imran Khan who took 14-116 against Sri Lanka in Lahore in 1982.

"I came to know yesterday (about Imran Khan's record) so it's an honour that my name will come with him," said Yasir.

"I haven’t bowled as well as this, especially with the pitch offering turn and bounce like it did. We wanted to put the disappointment of the first Test behind us and set up the series."

Pakistani captain Sarfraz Ahmed (L) gestures to teammate Yasir Shah as he holds the Man of the Match award after beating New Zealand in the second Test cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium on November 27, 2018. Photo: AFP

With his performance, Yasir Shah became the only Pakistani spinner to pick up 14 wickets, surpassing Abdul Qadir who claimed 13-101 against England in Lahore in 1987.

They are also the best by a Pakistani bowler against New Zealand, beating Waqar Younis’s 12-130 in Faisalabad in 1990.