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Pakistan spinner Yasir Shah breaks 82-year record

December 06, 2018 15:17 IST

Fastest bowler to reach the 200-wicket mark

Yasir Shah celebrates after picking his 200th Test wicket during the 3rd Test against New Zealand on Thursday

IMAGE: Yasir Shah celebrates after picking his 200th Test wicket during the 3rd Test against New Zealand on Thursday. Photograph: ICC/Twitter

Pakistan's leg-spinner Yasir Shah became the fastest cricketer to take 200 Test wickets, breaking an 82-year-old record on the fourth day of the third Test against New Zealand on Thursday.

The 32-year-old go to the feat on having nightwatchman Will Somerville leg before for four -- his second wicket of the New Zealand second innings.

 

Yasir, who made his Test debut against Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2014, reached the milestone in his 33rd Test, beating Australian leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett's record of 36 Tests achieved against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1936.

Yasir, whose 14 wickets helped Pakistan level the series 1-1 in Dubai, now has 27 wickets in the three Tests against New Zealand.

In the first Test, Yasir picked a career-best 14 for 184 to match former captain and current Prime Minister Imran Khan who bagged 14 for 116 against Sri Lanka in Lahore in 1982.

Resuming at 26 for 2 on Thursday, New Zealand fell to 37 for 3 after Yasir removed Somerville and still 37 runs short of making Pakistan bat again.

Yasir began the Abu Dhabi Test with 195 wickets in 32 Tests and on the opening day grabbed three early wickets but BJ Watling resisted with 77 not out, leaving him having to complete his landmark in the second innings.

Yasir was also the fastest Pakistani to 50 wickets (nine Tests), reached 100 wickets in 17 Tests -- only after Englishman George Lohmann who reached the landmark during a Test in Johannesburg in 1896, in only the 16th match he played.

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