The 47-year-old produced a sensational spell of 5/17 in four overs for Guyana Amazon Warriors against Saint Lucia Kings at Providence Stadium. Tahir achieved the feat at the age of 47 years and 166 days, breaking his own record of 46 years and 148 days, which he set during CPL 2025.
The performance was also Tahir’s best-ever bowling figures in T20 cricket, surpassing his previous career-best of 5/21. His spell helped restrict Saint Lucia Kings to 119, before Guyana Amazon Warriors completed a comfortable victory.
Tahir produced several impressive deliveries during his spell, including a sharply turning wrong’un that trapped Kamil Pooran lbw for 43. He later dismissed Matthew Forde after the batter misjudged a delivery that went straight on and crashed into the top of off stump.
Tahir Extends His Own World Record
Before Tahir broke the record in 2025, the oldest player to take a T20 five-wicket haul was Cook Islands’ Tomakunte Ritawa, who took 5/19 against Fiji at the age of 46 years and 299 days.
Tahir first surpassed that mark with his 5/21 against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in CPL 2025. A year later, he has extended his own record with an even better performance.
Reflecting on his success, Tahir credited his line, length and the conditions at Providence Stadium.
“My lines and lengths were very good. It pitched on line and obviously turned very sharply. In Providence, you get that, but in the previous two games, I wasn’t getting that kind of bite. The credit goes to the length I bowled,” Tahir said.
‘My Son Has Been Pushing Me’
Despite being 47, Tahir continues to find motivation to compete at the highest level of T20 cricket. He revealed that his son is one of the biggest reasons behind his decision to keep playing.
“I think my son is the main guy who has been pushing me. He keeps telling me: ‘Daddy, one more year… one more year and then you need to play with me’. So, it’s a kind of motivation. I want to give it to him and all the youngsters who are watching me around the world,” Tahir said.
Tahir has now played 461 T20 matches since making his domestic debut in Pakistan in 2006 and is just 11 wickets away from reaching 600 T20 wickets.
His latest five-for adds another remarkable chapter to the career of one of T20 cricket’s most enduring performers.
