LAHORE: Pakistan’s ace left-arm pacer, Shaheen Afridi and Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin have become the leading wicket-takers in Test cricket in 2021 with 44 scalps each.
According to ESPNCricinfo, Afridi and Ashwin have played eight and seven matches, respectively, so far this year and are featuring prominently for their sides in ongoing Test series. India is playing New Zealand at home while Pakistan is playing an away tour in Bangladesh.
Afridi delivered his career-best figures in an innings this year in August against the West Indies, grabbing six wickets for 51 runs, while Ashwin’s top outing this year was 6-61 in February against England.
Shaheen has picked up 44 wickets at an average of 17.45 in 15 innings while Ashwin has picked up 44 wickets at an average of 18.72 in 14 innings. He has been in sensational form over the past year and has picked up a total of 71 wickets at an average of 23.05 in all three formats in 2021, sharing the record with his teammate Hasan Ali.
Shaheen picked up a five-wicket haul as Pakistan dismissed Bangladesh for 157 in their second innings. This was Shaheen’s fourth five-wicket haul of his Test career.
