Yasir Shah

Yasir Shah is a professional Pakistani cricketer who specializes as a leg spinner. He holds several significant records in Test cricket history—including being the fastest bowler to reach 200 wickets. His career is defined by rapid success and record-breaking performances on the international stage.

Early life and education

Yasir Shah was born on 2 May 1986. He grew up in Swabi, located within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. He belongs to a Bondizai Pashtun family. His relatives have also achieved prominence in the sporting world.

His cousins include Junaid Khan and Fawad Ahmed. Junaid Khan has represented Pakistan as a fast bowler. Fawad Ahmed played as a spin bowler for Australia.

Career

Shah began his first-class cricket career in February 2002. He has represented various domestic teams including the Abbottabad Rhinos, Pakistan Customs, and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited. He also played for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cricket team and Pakistan A. In the 2017–18 Big Bash League season, he joined the Brisbane Heat alongside Shadab Khan. He was later named in the Khulna Titans squad for the 2018–19 Bangladesh Premier League.

His international journey started on 14 September 2011 during a tour of Zimbabwe. In his first one-day international, he claimed 2 wickets for 51 runs. He dismissed Vusi Sibanda and Tatenda Taibu during that match.

Shah made his Test debut against Australia in the UAE on 22 October 2014. He replaced Saeed Ajmal, who was sidelined due to an illegal bowling action. During his first Test, he took 7 for 116 and helped Pakistan secure a 221-run victory. He followed this with 5 for 91 in the second Test. These 12 wickets made him the second-highest wicket-taker of that series.

In June 2015, he became the fastest Pakistani bowler to reach 50 Test wickets. He achieved this feat in only nine matches. This performance surpassed previous records held by Waqar Younis, Mohammad Asif, and Shabbir Ahmed. However, he was banned by the ICC from 27 December 2015 to 27 March 2016. The ban followed a sample test that contained chlortalidone, which is a prohibited diuretic.

Shah returned to high-level competition and reached the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test bowling rankings on 18 July 2016. He was the first Pakistani bowler to hold this position since 1996. In November 2018, he recorded 14 wickets in a single match against New Zealand. This included an eight-wicket haul in the first innings. By December 2018, he became the fastest bowler in history to take 200 Test wickets, reaching the milestone in just 33 matches.

Personal life

Yasir Shah is a Pakistani national. He maintains an active presence on social media via his Twitter account, @shah64y. He remains a prominent figure within the Pakistani domestic and international cricket circuits.

Awards and recognition

The ICC named Shah to the World Test XI in 2015. He was also included in the Cricinfo Test XI of the year for 2015. In August 2018, the Pakistan Cricket Board awarded him a central contract for the 2018–19 season.