Pakistan’s Yasir Shah, who became the first bowler since Anil Kumble to pick up 10 wickets in a single day, is on the verge of breaking an 82-year-old record. After returning with figures of 8/41 in the first innings and 2/65 in the second innings (follow-on) on day three of the second Test against New Zealand in Dubai, the leg-spinner took his Test wickets tally to 191 in 32 matches.
If the Pakistan sensation takes nine more wickets before his 36th Test, he will break Australia’s Clarrie Grimmett’s record for the fastest to 200 wickets in Tests. The pre-World War II leg-spinner achieved the feat in 1936.
Two years ago, India’s premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was on track to break Grimmett’s milestone, but fell short of the record by one Test match.
Shah had eight New Zealand second innings wickets up for grabs at the start of day four. If he isn’t too successful in the rest of the Dubai Test, the 32-year-old can try his luck in the third and final Test in Abu Dhabi which starts on 3 December.
Following Grimmett and Ashwin, Australia’s Dennis Lillee (38 Tests), Pakistan’s Waqar Younis (38 Tests) and South Africa’s Dale Steyn (39 Tests) hold the top five spots in the list of fastest to 200 wickets.