Cummins’ record falls as England teen takes five-wicket haul on debut

Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed has broken Pat Cummins’ record as the youngest men’s Test cricketer to claim a five-wicket haul on his debut to put England on the brink of a historic 3-0 sweep in their first Test tour of Pakistan in 17 years.

Pakistan crumbled for 216 in the second innings of the third and final Test as 18-year-old Ahmed grabbed 5-48 to leave England a modest target of 167 runs.

England were 112-2 at stumps on day three in Karachi, needing a further 55 runs to register their second win inside four days following a thrilling 26-run victory at Multan last week. Ahmed’s emergence is another warning sign for Australia before next year’s Ashes as England continue their remarkable resurgence since being battered 4-0 in the 2021-22 series.

“I just try to enjoy it as much as I could,” said Ahmed, who is England’s youngest debutant at the age of 18 years, 126 days. “This feels like the happiest day of my life … I still don’t think it has sunk in yet, but yes I am very, very grateful.”

Shane Warne had an hour’s coaching session with Ahmed when he was 14 and would have revelled in England picking him and putting their faith in wrist spin. The youngster beat Cummins’ record by 65 days and is also the sixth-youngest player to take five wickets in a Test innings.

Pakistan, staring at their first ever 3-0 whitewash at home, lost their last seven wickets for 52 runs in the second innings as Ahmed stifled the middle-order with his sharp googlies and leg-spin.

Captain Babar Azam (54) hit his third half century in the last four innings and Saud Shakeel (53) made his fourth 50 in his debut series before Ahmed left the lower order clueless on a wicket which has a variable bounce and slow turn.

Babar became the fourth Test player to complete 1000 runs this year, but played an overambitious pull against Ahmed’s short ball soon after completing his half century and Ollie Pope held a sharp catch at short mid-wicket.