Yasir Shah becomes fastest Asian to reach 100 wickets

DUBAI: Pakistan’s leg-spinner Yasir Shah on Sunday became the second joint-fastest bowler and the first Asian to take 100 wickets in all Test cricket. 

The feat came on the fourth day of the first day-night match against West Indies in Dubai on Sunday.

The 30-year-old dismissed West Indian tail-ender Miguel Cummins to complete 100 wickets in his 17th Test match, the fastest Pakistani  to the milestone.

He topped Indian spinner Ravinder Ashwin who was the current fastest Asian when he reached the milestone against West Indies in Mumbai in 2013.

England’s right-arm medium-pacer George Lohmann reached 100 Test wickets in just 16 Test matches in 1896 which still is a world record in Test cricket’s 140-year-old history.

Australia’s Charlie Turner and Clarrie Grimmett and England’s Sydney Barnes each got to the milestone in their 17th Test.

Yasir Shah, who made his debut at the same venue in October 2014, bettered off-spinner Saeed Ajmal who held the Pakistani record of fastest to 100 Tests wickets in 19 matches.

Shah finished with 5-121 in the first Test as West Indies were dismissed for 357 in their first innings in reply to Pakistan’s big 579-3 declared.

Congratulations to @Shah64Y on reaching 100 Test wickets in just 17 Tests – the joint 2nd fastest of all time to reach the mark! #PakvWI pic.twitter.com/yAes327wOi

— ICC (@ICC) October 16, 2016