Pakistan’s Test pacer Mohammad Abbas on Thursday, drew level with legendary all-rounder Imran Khan with a 13th 10-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
Abbas achieved the milestone during Lahore Blues’ defeat against FATA Region in the fifth round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) 2024-25.
The right-arm pacer, who bagged six wickets for just 39 runs in 22 overs including 10 maidens, was equally impressive in the second innings, where he claimed four wickets for 35 runs, to round off sensational match figures of 10/74.
The second-innings exploits powered Abbas to his 13th first-class 10-wicket haul, which put him on an elusive list of Pakistani bowlers, featuring legendary figures like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Imran Khan.
Abbas now sits at joint third in the list with 13 10-wicket hauls, only behind Waqar (14) and Wasim (16).
Following his record-equalling performance, Abbas has also become the second-highest leading wicket-taker of the ongoing tournament with 31 scalps at a brilliant average of 14.39 and an economy rate of just 2.35.
The right-arm pacer has also bowled the most number of maidens (60) in the tournament thus far.
Abbas, who made his Test debut for Pakistan in 2017, soon took the cricketing world by storm, courtesy of his stellar performances.
He even received words of acknowledgement from legendary South African pacer Dale Steyn, who had foreseen him as the next top-ranked Test bowler, following his 10-wicket haul against Australia in 2018.
“I see a new number 1 Test bowler coming... Mohammad Abbas,” Steyn had said.
The right-arm pacer, however, then saw a decline in his performance and only managed to take five wickets in a Test once since then and was eventually sidelined from the national team.
His last Test appearance for the green shirts came away against West Indies in August 2021.
- Imran Khan
