Asif Afridi Realizes Test Dream at 38, Enters Pakistan’s Record Books
In a remarkable story of perseverance, left-arm spinner Asif Afridi made his long-awaited Test debut for Pakistan on Monday, October 20, 2025, at the age of 38 years and 299 days. Taking the field against South Africa in the second Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Afridi became the third-oldest player to earn a maiden Test cap for Pakistan.
Afridi, who replaced pacer Hasan Ali in the playing XI, was handed his cap by Shaheen Shah Afridi, marking a significant moment in a domestic career that has seen him play 57 first-class matches and accumulate 198 wickets.
His debut places him in elite company within Pakistan’s cricket history. The only players to have debuted for the nation at an older age are:
* Miran Bakhsh: 47 years and 284 days (vs. India, 1955)
* Amir Elahi: 44 years and 45 days (vs. India, 1952)
While Afridi’s debut is a notable achievement, the all-time record for the oldest Test debutant belongs to England’s James Southerton, who first played at the age of 49 years and 119 days in 1877. In the 21st century, Afridi’s debut is the second-oldest, surpassed only by Ireland’s Ed Joyce, who was 39 years and 231 days old when he debuted in 2018.
Pakistan’s Playing XI for the 2nd Test:
Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood (C), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Salman Agha, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Asif Afridi.
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