Mohammad Saleem Safi, young Afghanistan fast bowler, etched his name into the history books on Day 2 of the one-off Test against India at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh on Sunday, June 7.

Facing a formidable Indian batting lineup on a flat track at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Saleem battled through sweltering heat to finish with phenomenal figures of 6 for 140 in 27 overs.  

During his sensational bowling performance, Saleem became only the third Afghanistan pace bowler to claim a Test match five-wicket haul (fifer). He joined the ranks of Ziaur Rahman and Nijat Masood in an elite list.

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Five-wicket hauls by AFG pacers in Tests

7/97 – Ziaur Rahman vs ZIM, Harare, 2025

5/79 – Nijat Masood vs BAN, Mirpur, 2023

6/140 – Mohammad Saleem vs IND, Mullanpur, 2026

Saleem’s heroic bowling effort provided a vital silver lining for Afghanistan as India eventually declared their first innings at a commanding 564 for 8 on Day 2 of the one-off Test.  

A Lone Warrior On A Batting Paradise

India declared their first innings at 564/8, powered by centuries from Shubman Gill and KL Rahul. Despite the flat pitch offering little assistance to bowlers, Saleem Safi bowled with remarkable consistency, pace, and movement. He dismissed key Indian batters, including captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, before sealing his fifer by removing debutant Manav Suthar.

This was not just any milestone – it marked the first five-wicket haul by an Afghanistan bowler against India in Test cricket. Saleem’s effort provided a rare bright spot for the visitors, who struggled to contain India’s strong top order. 

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Significance for Afghanistan Cricket

Afghanistan’s pace attack has historically been overshadowed by their world-class spinners like Rashid Khan. Milestones like Saleem’s fifer highlight the steady emergence of genuine fast-bowling options – a crucial development for the team’s balance in longer formats. Ziaur Rahman and Nijat Masood paved the way; Saleem Safi has now carried the baton forward against one of the strongest batting line-ups in the world.

Playing XIs For IND vs AFG One Off Test  

India: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Afghanistan: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Afsar Zazai (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharote, Ziaur Rahman, Mohammad Saleem