Asif Afridi debuts at 38! Oldest Pakistan players to play their first Test

Aakash Saini

Oldest Pakistan Test debuts by players [Source: @ICC, @SALEHAYUB3/x]Oldest Pakistan Test debuts by players [Source: @ICC, @SALEHAYUB3/x]

Pakistan left-arm spinner Asif Afridi overcame age and a past barrier to make his international debut at a late age of 38, almost touching 39. The cricketer was picked in the national XI for Pakistan’s series-deciding second Test of the series against South Africa in Rawalpindi.

Celebrating Afridi’s late rise, here is a look at five oldest Pakistan cricketers overall to make their respective Test debuts.

Oldest Pakistan Players to Debut in Test Cricket:

5. Zahid Mahmood – 34y 256d vs England, Rawalpindi (2022)

Zahid Mahmood, an underachieving Hyderabad leg-spinner, made his Test debut at the age of 34 years and 256 days when he was called up into the Pakistani XI during their home series against England at Rawalpindi in December 2022. The cricketer picked up an expensive four-wicket haul on his maiden innings, and played just three more Tests over the course of the next couple of years until he was ghosted again by the Pakistan selection committee. Zahid Mahmood has also played a handful of white-ball games for Pakistan in 2021 and 2022.

4. Zulfiqar Babar – 34y 308d vs South Africa, Abu Dhabi (2013)

Zulfiqar Babar earned his maiden Test cap against South Africa in Abu Dhabi in October 2013, i.e., over a decade since he started playing Pakistan domestic cricket. With over 500 wickets to his name in first-class level, the prodigious left-arm spinner picked up 54 of those in 15 Tests for Pakistan between the years 2013 and 2016.

On his debut itself, at a time when he was 34 years and 308 days old, Zulfiqar picked up a cunning five-wicket match haul to star in Pakistan’s seven-wicket win over South Africa.

3. Tabish Khan – 36y 146d vs Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe (2021)

Karachi fast bowler Tabish Khan holds one of the most decorated first-class profiles in Pakistan in modern-day history. Having played 152 matches, the speedster racked up a staggering haul of 644 wickets at an average of 24.34, and 115 more in List A and T20s combined to accumulate over 750 sticks in competitive cricket.

However, Tabish Khan managed to represent Pakistan in just one Test so far in his otherwise distinguished career, doing so against Zimbabwe in Harare back in May 2021 at an age of 36 years and 146 days. Quite recently, Khan was seen playing for Karachi Region Blues in the Qaid-e-Azam Trophy.

2. Asif Afridi – 38y 299d vs South Africa, Rawalpindi (2025)

Abbottabad left-arm spinner Asif Afridi made his international debut for Pakistan in October 2025 at the age of 38 years and 299 days. He was invited into the Pakistan national XI for the second Test of their two-match series against South Africa. Before making his debut, Afridi picked up 198 first-class wickets over the span of 57 matches, and another 83 sticks in 60 List A games and 78 in 85 T20s. He was also previously banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for a period of two years for failing to report a corrupt approach.

1. Miran Bakhsh – 47y 284d vs India, Lahore (1955)

Miran Bakhsh made his international debut for Pakistan after playing just a handful of domestic games, doing so at Lahore against India in January 1955 when he was 47 years and 284 days old. A couple of weeks later, the Rawalpindi and Services cricketer played the second and final Test of his Pakistan career, against the same opponents in the latter half of the same series. In all, the right-arm off-spinner picked up just two wickets in those two appearances.

While his international stint was brief, Miran Bakhsh’s remarkable late debut remains a timeless testament to perseverance and passion, and an enduring chapter in Pakistan cricket’s folklore that is bound to live on forever.