England spinner Rehan Ahmed became the sixth-youngest bowler to take five wickets in a men’s Test innings as Pakistan were bowled out for 216 in Karachi.
Here we look at the players ahead of him on the list.
Nasim-ul-Ghani, Pakistan
Five for 116 v West Indies, 1958, aged 16 years and 303 days
The slow left-armer began his haul with the prize wicket of Sir Garry Sobers, who made a century in each innings of the West Indies’ win. Nasim emerged with huge credit despite the defeat, adding the scalps of Everton Weekes and Rohan Kanhai. He went on to play 29 Tests in all, taking 52 wickets at an average of 37.67.
Naseem Shah, Pakistan
Five for 31 v Sri Lanka, 2019, aged 16 years and 307 days
The paceman missed out on his compatriot’s record by just four days as he helped bowl out Sri Lanka for 212 and secure a 263-run win. The wickets of Kusal Mendis for a duck and Dinesh Chandimal for two put early holes in the chase and he later picked up Dilruwan Perera and Lasith Embuldeniya in successive balls. Vishwa Fernando survived the hat-trick ball but then became Shah’s fifth victim. They remain his best figures in 14 Tests to date, with 38 wickets at 36.94.
Mohammad Amir, Pakistan
Five for 79 v Australia, 2009, aged 17 years and 257 days
Pakistan continue to monopolise the list, with Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Marcus North and Brad Haddin making for a strong list of victims for Amir. He served a five-year ban when, aged 18, he was part of a spot-fixing plot by bowling deliberate no-balls against England at Lord’s but returned to play a key role in his side’s attack.
Enamul Haque Jr, Bangladesh
Six for 45 v Zimbabwe, 2005, aged 18 years and 32 days
After a wicketless first innings, Enamul produced the best figures on this list in the second as he took out key men Stuart Matsikenyeri, Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor, added Tatenda Taibu for a duck and finished the job against tail-enders Graeme Cremer and Chris Mpofu. He also took seven for 95 in the next Test but that was the peak of his 15-Test career, which ended with 44 wickets at 40.61.
Daniel Vettori, New Zealand
Five for 84 v Sri Lanka, 1997, aged 18 years and 46 days
Having narrowly missed out in the first innings with four for 46, the left-armer added his name to the list in the second with Arjuna Ranatunga and Tillakaratne Dilshan the pick of his wickets. By far the most successful player on this list, he played 113 Tests – 32 as captain – and took 362 wickets at 34.36 with 20 five-wicket hauls, adding six hundreds and 23 fifties as he averaged 30 with the bat.
Rehan Ahmed, England
Five for 48 v Pakistan, 2022, aged 18 years and 128 days
Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel both made half-centuries in a stand of 110 before Ahmed removed both, adding the scalps of Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim and Agha Salman to become the youngest debutant to take a five-wicket haul – beating out current Australia captain Pat Cummins. He was then handed the reimagined ‘nighthawk’ role in England’s batting line-up and celebrated by smashing namesake spinner Abrar Ahmed back over his head for four first ball.
