Ageless Wonder: 44-yr-old Pakistan-born SA star creates history with 500 T20 wickets after running riot with robust fifer in BPL

Imran Tahir created history as he became only the fourth bowler to pick 500 or more wickets in T20 cricket. The 44-year-old Imran Tahir achieved this feat while representing Rangpur Riders in their Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2024 encounter against Khulna Tigers at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on February 13, Tuesday.

Joining the ranks of veteran pacer Dwayne Bravo, Afghanistan's stalwart Rashid Khan, and the crafty Sunil Narine, Tahir, who turns 45 in March, reached the coveted 500-wicket mark in his 404th match.

Prior to the clash against the Tigers, Tahir had 497 wickets to his credit. He reached the milestone by dismissing the dangerous Alex Hales, who was batting on 60 with 7 fours and 3 sixes.

Imran Tahir wreaks havoc on Khulna Tigers

After sending marching orders to Hales, Tahir continued his dominance by securing a five-wicket haul. He claimed the wickets of Hales, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Afif Hossain Shrubo, Habibul Rahman, and Akbar Ali, concluding with remarkable figures of 4-0-26-5. Joining the Riders just two days prior, Tahir swiftly made his presence felt. Despite the Tigers' attempts to take charge against Tahir while chasing a daunting target of 220, the former South African spinner thwarted their plan.

Tahir recently featured for the Joburg Super Kings, who progressed to the Qualifier 2 of SA20 2024 before their elimination. Across 11 matches, Tahir secured nine wickets with an economy rate of 7.61.

In his 38 T20Is for South Africa between 2013 and 2019, Tahir amassed 63 wickets, including two four-wicket hauls and two five-wicket hauls. Following the 2019 World Cup, where South Africa failed to reach the semifinals, Tahir did not represent the national team.

Apart from 38 T20Is, the Pakistan-born cricketer represented South Africa in 20 Tests and 107 ODIs.

Recently, during a conversation with Daily Sun, Tahir was asked about how does he keep himself motivated to keep playing at this age, to which he replied,"Imran Tahir: See, sometimes in life, you don’t get the opportunity early. And when you get that, you don’t want to let it go. So that’s the belief I am living in and as long as what I am doing, the role I have been given by any team, I can’t see why I can’t play the sport. I don’t see age and that’s just my personal thing."

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