The Pakistan national cricket team has recently seen the 38-year-old left-arm spinner Asif Afridi, who is nearly 39 years old, making his international debut. He crossed the age and past hurdles to do this. The cricketer was in the national squad for the second Test match against South Africa in Rawalpindi, which was the series-deciding match.
To mark the celebration of Afridi’s late rise, here is a list of the top five oldest cricketers from Pakistan to be allowed to make their Test debuts.
Oldest Player to Make a Test Debut
5. Zahid Mahmood – 34y 256d vs England, Rawalpindi (2022)
Underrated leg spinner from Hyderabad, Zahid Mahmood made his Test debut at the age of 34 years and 256 days when he was in Pakistani XI during home series against England at Rawalpindi in December 2022. The cricketer got an expensive four-wicket haul on his debut innings, and played only three more Tests over the next couple of years until he was again ghosted by the Pakistan selection committee. In 2021 and 2022, Zahid Mahmood played a few white-ball games for Pakistan as well.
4. Zulfiqar Babar – 34y 308d vs South Africa, Abu Dhabi (2013)
Zulfiqar Babar received his first Test cap against South Africa in Abu Dhabi in October 2013, a decade after he started playing domestic cricket for Pakistan. Over 500 wickets were taken by the left-arm spinner at the first-class level, and he claimed 54 in 15 Tests for Pakistan between 2013 and 2016.
In his very first match, at an age of 34 years and 308 days, Zulfiqar got a crafty five-wicket match haul making him the star of Pakistan’s seven-wicket victory over South Africa.
3. Tabish Khan – 36y 146d vs Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe (2021)
The Karachi speed man Tabish Khan is one of the highly rated first-class bowlers among modern-day Pakistani players. The pacer has featured in 152 matches and has taken a total of 644 wickets with an incredible average of 24.34, and in the end, he got 115 more in List A and T20s combined to achieve over 750 sticks in competitive cricket.
Amazingly, Khan played his only Test match against Zimbabwe in Harare in May 2021 when he was already 36 years and 146 days old. Recently, he was spotted 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 played for Pakistan internationally in October 2025 when he was already 38 years and 299 days old. He got a chance in the national team for a second Test during a two-match series against South Africa. Afridi had taken 198 first-class wickets during 57 matches and then 83 in 60 List A and 78 in 85 T20s prior to his debut. He was also previously banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for two years for not reporting a corrupt approach.
1. Miran Bakhsh – 47y 284d vs India, Lahore (1955)
Miran Bakhsh at the age of 47 years and 284 days made his debut in international cricket with Pakistan after just a few domestic matches to his credit, doing so in January 1955 at Lahore against India. A few weeks later, the Rawalpindi and Services cricketer played the second and last Test of his Pakistan career, against the same opponents during the latter half of the same series. The right-arm off-spinner, however, lured only two batsmen into his net in those two appearances.
Nevertheless, the international stint might have been short-lived, but the legend of Miran Bakhsh’s awesome late debut remains as timeless as ever and is part of the history of Pakistan cricket that will never be forgotten, no matter how long it takes.
