Cricket is always a dream game and in some cases, it may take decades to fulfill the dream. Asif Afridi became the last person to make his long-awaited Test debut, when he opened against South Africa at 38 years and 299 days at Rawalpindi in Pakistan on 20 October 2025: a moment that will be remembered long enough to come.
The first professional hockey player at 16 is not only that he was of this age but also of such an impressive path that led him to this point. He was the second youngest Pakistani cricketer to ever play in Test cricket, and the first since Miran Bakhsh of 1955 to play his first Test at the age of 47.
A Record-Breaking Debut
Asif Afridi had a special debut in the Test. He was almost 29 years when he began the international arena making him one of the oldest debutants in modern day cricket. He is currently the second-oldest Test debutant of the 21st century in the world, only Ed Joyce of Ireland has debuted even later (at 39 years and 231 days).
| Player | Age | Country | Opponent | Ground | Start Date |
| James Southerton | 49y 119d | England | Australia | Melbourne | 15 Mar 1877 |
| Miran Bakhsh | 47y 284d | Pakistan | India | Lahore | 29 Jan 1955 |
| Don Blackie | 46y 253d | Australia | England | Sydney | 14 Dec 1928 |
| Ed Joyce | 39y 231d | Ireland | Pakistan | Dublin | 11 May 2018 |
| Asif Afridi | 38y 299d | Pakistan | South Africa | Rawalpindi | 20 Oct 2025 |
Inclusion in the playing XI of Pakistan came when Afridi was included as the team was going to use a spin-intensive attack in a turning track in Rawalpindi. He replaced Hasan Ali who was the pacer, and he joined Noman Ali and Sajid Khan to make an effective three-man spin combination.
The story of Asif Afridi should be an indication of persistence and diligence. His professional career with the first-class team started in 2009, although he received irregular selection and did not get many opportunities, he enjoyed only 57 outings in over 15 years. Even with such difficulties, Afridi was able to take 198 wickets with a wonderful average of 25.49, and this shows that he was dependable and a skillful bowler.
He first started performing consistently in 2023 which led to his domestic resurgence. He took 80 wickets of the 150 he has had in his career in the last two years, with a display of control, maturity and determination that few late bloomers have.
| Career Summary (First-Class) | Matches | Wickets | Bowling Average | Best Figures |
| Before 2023 | 40 | 118 | 26.70 | 6/35 |
| Since 2023 | 17 | 80 | 23.90 | 7/41 |
| Total | 57 | 198 | 25.49 | 7/41 |
Afridi received the PSL 2025 after his regular domestic record which made him play with the Lahore Qalandars and he completed 7 wickets in 9 matches. His good performances at the place eventually introduced him into the radar of national selectors.
A Lesson in Persistence
In the contemporary age of the sport where athletes frequently retire before the age of 35, the case of Asif Afridi is a true exception. It is not only statistics in his debut but also about strength, faith in yourself, and not to surrender. He was not ready to give up the game in spite of years of uncertainty.
The complexity and variety of the domestic cricket system in Pakistan also be in focus with Afridi debut, that is, in spite of the late age (thirty-five years), a player still has a chance of becoming successful, provided that he/she performs well.
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