Stats: Youngest players to take a 5-wicket haul in ODI cricket

Mujeeb Zadran, the Afghanistan spinner already made a sensational start to his career with 20 wickets in eight International matches he played so far. The specialist off-spinner can also bowl leg spin and deceive the batsmen with his googlies. The 16-year-old was a product of Afghanistan’s Under-19 team that featured in the recently concluded U-19 CWC in New Zealand. Mujeeb featured in 13 Youth One-Day Internationals and took 35 wickets at an astonishing average of 9.22 with three 5-fers.

Mujeeb Zadran did convert his success at the International level as he bagged a 4-wicket haul on his ODI debut last year even before playing the U19 CWC. He turned up in the ODI series in Sharjah against Ireland in December and became the youngest ever to take a 4-wicket in ODI history at the age of 16 years and 252 days. Mujeeb, the 2001-born became the first player in Men’s International cricket to be born in the 21st century.

On Friday, the young spinner registered his maiden 5-wicket haul in the ODI game against Zimbabwe in Sharjah. At the age of 16 years and 325 days, Mujeeb broke Waqar Younis record for becoming the youngest player to bag a 5-wicket haul in this format. The former Pakistan bowler took his maiden ODI 5-fer in Sharjah at the age of 18 years and 164 days against Sri Lanka. He took another 5-fer a couple of days later at the same venue against New Zealand.

Five out of the ten 5-wicket hauls in this format by the players before turning 19 are by Waqar Younis only. Rashid Khan took two ODI 5-fers before turning 19 while Wasim Akram and Aftab Ahmed took one each. No bowler other than Asians took a 5-wicket haul in the ODI format before turning 20. Mujeeb is also the 2nd youngest to take a 5-wicket haul in International cricket after Pakistan‘s Nasim-ul-Ghani who was a couple of days younger than Mujeeb when he took 5-fers in 1957/58 Test tour to Windies.

The youngster also achieved a rare feat of taking a 5-fer while opening the inning with the ball. The Afghan player made a habit of opening the bowling, registered figures of 10-0-50-5 by taking his 5th wicket on the last ball of his 10th over. Thus, Mujeeb became only the 2nd spinner in the ODI history to take a 5-wicket haul while opening the bowling. Bermuda’s Dwayne Leverock took 5/53 in his ten overs against Kenya back in 2006.

Youngest to take a 5-wicket haul in ODI cricket:

(Note: Mujeeb Zadran is also referred as Mujeeb ur Rahman)

(Stats as on February 16, 2018)