Zahid Mahmood | This player of Pakistan became the most expensive bowler in the history of Test cricket

-Vinay Kumar

The England team is on a tour of Pakistan. At present, the first match of the Test series between Pakistan and England is being played in Rawalpindi (Pakistan vs England 1st Test Match Rawalpindi, 2022). In this match, a 35-year-old spinner Zahid Mahmood made his Test debut for Pakistan. He bowled a total of 33 overs in the match. During this, he was beaten in such a way that the old record of giving the most runs in Test cricket, that is, being the most expensive bowler, was broken.

According to reports, Zahid Mahmood has played a total of 4 ODIs and 1 T20I match so far in his career. He has taken 166 wickets in a total of 56 First Class Cricket matches played so far in his career. His average is 37.45.

World record broken in 33 overs bowling

Pakistan’s debutant spinner Zahid Mahmood bowled a total of 33 overs in the first innings of the first Test against England. In which he bowled only 1 maiden over and gave away 235 runs at an economy of 7.10. However, he also dismissed 4 England players. The history of international cricket tells that Zahid Mahmood became the most expensive bowler to debut in Test cricket.

Earlier, the record of being the most expensive bowler, ie the most expensive bowler in his debut match of Test cricket, was in the name of Suraj Randiv of Sri Lanka. Suraj Randiwe played against India in Colombo in the year 2010 (India vs Sri Lanka Test Debut Suraj Randiwe) gave 222 runs at an average of 3.04 in a total of 73 overs in his debut match. Proving to be far more expensive than that, Zahid Mehmood conceded 235 runs in only 33 overs of the first innings.

Significantly, in this first Test match, England scored 657 runs for 10 wickets in 101 overs in the first innings, in which 4 batsmen scored centuries. In response to this, Pakistan had also scored 473 runs facing 126 overs at the loss of 5 wickets in their first innings on the third day of the match till the news was written. For Pakistan, 3 players scored centuries in the first innings. Opener Abdulah Shafiq scored 114 and Imam-ul-Haq scored 121. Team captain Babar Azam was dismissed on a personal score of 136. It is believed that this match is heading towards a draw.