Taking five wickets in a One Day International (ODI) match is one of the biggest achievements for any bowler. It shows the ability to dominate the opposition and completely change the direction of a game. When a player reaches this milestone as a teenager or before turning 20, the achievement becomes even more remarkable. The Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs have proved that talent, confidence, and skill can overcome a lack of experience at the highest level.
Over the years, ODI cricket has produced several outstanding young fast bowlers and spinners who announced themselves with unforgettable bowling performances. Some used raw pace and swing to trouble the world’s best batters, while others relied on spin, flight, and clever variations. Every player on the list of the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs delivered a match-winning spell that earned worldwide recognition and marked the beginning of an impressive international career.
List of 10 Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs
10. Shaheen Shah Afridi
Shaheen Shah Afridi became one of the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs after producing a sensational bowling display against Bangladesh during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. Playing at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, the young left-arm fast bowler destroyed Bangladesh’s batting line-up with outstanding pace, swing, and bounce. He finished with brilliant figures of 6 wickets for 35 runs, recording the best bowling performance of his ODI career at that time.
Afridi consistently attacked the stumps and forced the batters to make mistakes with his ability to move the ball in both directions. His spell helped Pakistan secure an important victory and showed the cricketing world that he had already developed into a world-class fast bowler despite being only 19 years old. His performance remains one of the finest World Cup bowling spells by a young player and secured his place among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs.
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Player | Shaheen Shah Afridi |
| Age | 19 Years 90 Days |
| Bowling Figures | 6/35 |
| Team | Pakistan |
| Opposition | Bangladesh |
9. Aaqib Javed
Aaqib Javed remains one of Pakistan’s greatest young fast bowlers and is remembered for producing one of the best bowling performances by a teenager in ODI cricket. He entered the elite list of the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs after taking an incredible 7 wickets for 37 runs against India in 1991.
The young pacer used his natural pace and swing to trouble one of the strongest batting line-ups in world cricket. Every breakthrough increased Pakistan’s control over the match, and his remarkable spell is still remembered as one of the greatest ODI bowling performances by a teenager. His achievement continues to rank among the most impressive records in ODI history and firmly established him among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs.
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Player | Aaqib Javed |
| Age | 19 Years 81 Days |
| Bowling Figures | 7/37 |
| Team | Pakistan |
| Opposition | India |
READ MORE: Top 10 Fastest Players to Reach 10,000 Runs in ODI Cricket
8. Taskin Ahmed
Taskin Ahmed enjoyed a dream start to his ODI career when he made his debut against India in Mirpur in 2014. The young Bangladesh fast bowler immediately made headlines by claiming 5 wickets for 28 runs, becoming one of the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs.
Taskin bowled with impressive speed, aggression, and accuracy throughout the match. His disciplined line and length made scoring difficult, while his extra pace forced several mistakes from the experienced Indian batting order. His memorable debut helped Bangladesh record a famous victory and announced the arrival of another talented fast bowler on the international stage. The outstanding performance remains one of the best ODI debuts by any fast bowler and secured Taskin’s place among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs.
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Player | Taskin Ahmed |
| Age | 19 Years 75 Days |
| Bowling Figures | 5/28 |
| Team | Bangladesh |
| Opposition | India |
7. Aftab Ahmed
Although Aftab Ahmed was better known as a batting all-rounder during his international career, he produced one of the finest bowling performances by a young Bangladeshi cricketer. His brilliant spell against New Zealand in 2004 earned him a place among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs after finishing with outstanding figures of 5 wickets for 31 runs.
Aftab displayed excellent control and consistently troubled the New Zealand batters with disciplined bowling. His ability to pick up wickets at important moments allowed Bangladesh to compete strongly against a much more experienced opposition. Even years later, this performance remains one of the highlights of his ODI career and is still remembered whenever the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs are discussed.
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Player | Aftab Ahmed |
| Age | 18 Years 361 Days |
| Bowling Figures | 5/31 |
| Team | Bangladesh |
| Opposition | New Zealand |
6. Wasim Akram
Before becoming one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history, Wasim Akram announced his arrival with a stunning bowling performance against Australia in 1985. At just 18 years and 266 days, he claimed 5 wickets for 21 runs, earning his place among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs.
Akram’s natural left-arm swing, impressive pace, and ability to bowl accurate yorkers made life extremely difficult for the Australian batters. His spell demonstrated exceptional maturity despite his young age and gave the cricketing world a glimpse of the legendary career that would follow. Over the next two decades, Wasim Akram became one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. Still, his early five-wicket haul remains one of the most memorable achievements among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs.
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Player | Wasim Akram |
| Age | 18 Years 266 Days |
| Bowling Figures | 5/21 |
| Team | Pakistan |
| Opposition | Australia |
5. Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar
Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar became one of the newest additions to the list of the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs after producing an outstanding performance against Bangladesh in November 2024. The talented Afghan off-spinner delivered a match-winning spell of 6 wickets for 26 runs, showing exceptional control, accuracy, and confidence despite being only 18 years old. His brilliant bowling helped Afghanistan dominate the match and once again highlighted the country’s ability to produce world-class spin bowlers.
Ghazanfar consistently troubled Bangladesh’s batters by varying his pace and length while maintaining excellent discipline throughout his spell. His performance was praised by cricket experts because he bowled with the maturity of a much more experienced international cricketer. This memorable achievement secured his place among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs and confirmed that he is one of Afghanistan’s brightest young talents for the future.
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Player | Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar |
| Age | 18 Years 231 Days |
| Bowling Figures | 6/26 |
| Team | Afghanistan |
| Opposition | Bangladesh |
4. Gulsan Jha
Gulsan Jha created history for Nepal by becoming one of the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs after his outstanding bowling performance against Oman in September 2024. The young fast-bowling all-rounder finished with impressive figures of 5 wickets for 47 runs, producing one of the greatest bowling displays in Nepal’s ODI history. His remarkable spell demonstrated Nepal’s growing strength in international cricket and showed that the country continues to produce exciting young cricketers.
Jha maintained excellent control with both the new and old ball while regularly breaking important partnerships. His calm attitude under pressure impressed cricket fans and experts alike. Becoming one of the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs is a major milestone in his career and could be the beginning of many more memorable performances for Nepal on the international stage.
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Player | Gulsan Jha |
| Age | 18 Years 214 Days |
| Bowling Figures | 5/47 |
| Team | Nepal |
| Opposition | Oman |
3. Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan announced himself as one of the world’s best young leg-spinners with a sensational performance against Ireland in 2017. At only 18 years and 178 days, he claimed 6 wickets for 43 runs, earning a deserved place among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs. His combination of speed through the air, sharp turn, and clever variations made it extremely difficult for the Irish batters to score freely.
The spell was one of the defining moments of Rashid’s early international career and helped establish him as one of the finest limited-overs bowlers in world cricket. He continued to dominate ODI and T20 cricket for many years after this performance. Even today, his remarkable achievement remains one of the standout records among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs, proving that exceptional spin bowling can completely change the outcome of a match.
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Player | Rashid Khan |
| Age | 18 Years 178 Days |
| Bowling Figures | 6/43 |
| Team | Afghanistan |
| Opposition | Ireland |
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2. Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis earned his place among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs after producing a devastating spell against Sri Lanka in 1990. The young Pakistani fast bowler took 6 wickets for 26 runs, using his incredible pace, reverse swing, and deadly yorkers to dismantle the Sri Lankan batting order. At just 18 years and 164 days, he had already become one of the most feared fast bowlers in international cricket.
Waqar’s aggressive bowling style and ability to attack the stumps made him almost impossible to face when he was in rhythm. His outstanding performance not only secured victory for Pakistan but also marked the beginning of a legendary international career. The spell remains one of the greatest performances by a teenage fast bowler and continues to hold a special place among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs.
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Player | Waqar Younis |
| Age | 18 Years 164 Days |
| Bowling Figures | 6/26 |
| Team | Pakistan |
| Opposition | Sri Lanka |
1. Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Mujeeb Ur Rahman holds the record for the top of the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs. At just 16 years and 325 days, the Afghan mystery spinner produced a historic bowling performance against Zimbabwe in February 2018. Mujeeb finished with outstanding figures of 5 wickets for 50 runs, becoming the youngest player in ODI history to claim a five-wicket haul.
His mystery spin, excellent accuracy, and fearless attitude completely outclassed Zimbabwe’s batting line-up. Despite his age, Mujeeb bowled with the confidence and control of an experienced international cricketer. His unforgettable spell became one of the greatest achievements in Afghanistan’s cricket history and remains the benchmark for every young bowler hoping to enter the list of the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs. Several talented bowlers have come close in recent years, but Mujeeb’s record continues to stand as one of the most remarkable milestones in ODI cricket.
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Player | Mujeeb Ur Rahman |
| Age | 16 Years 325 Days |
| Bowling Figures | 5/50 |
| Team | Afghanistan |
| Opposition | Zimbabwe |
The list of the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs highlights some of the most extraordinary young talents in the history of One Day International cricket. From Pakistan’s legendary fast bowlers like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis to Afghanistan’s outstanding spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rashid Khan, and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, every player earned their place with a memorable match-winning performance.
These bowlers proved that age is not a barrier to success at the international level. Their outstanding spells changed matches, inspired teammates, and launched successful cricket careers. As ODI cricket continues to develop, new stars will undoubtedly aim to join the elite group of Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs, but Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s record remains one of the toughest milestones to surpass.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who is the youngest bowler with a five-wicket haul in ODIs?
Mujeeb Ur Rahman of Afghanistan is the youngest bowler with a five-wicket haul in ODIs. He achieved the milestone at 16 years and 325 days, taking 5 wickets for 50 runs against Zimbabwe in Sharjah on 16 February 2018.
2. Which countries have the most players among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs?
Pakistan has the most players on the list, with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Aaqib Javed, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis. Afghanistan follows with Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rashid Khan, and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, while Bangladesh has Taskin Ahmed and Aftab Ahmed, and Nepal is represented by Gulsan Jha.
3. Which bowler recorded the best bowling figures among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs?
Aaqib Javed holds the best bowling figures among the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs, taking 7 wickets for 37 runs against India in Sharjah in 1991.
4. Who is the youngest Nepali bowler to take a five-wicket haul in ODIs?
Gulsan Jha is the youngest Nepali bowler to take a five-wicket haul in ODIs. He achieved the feat at 18 years and 214 days, claiming 5 wickets for 47 runs against Oman in September 2024.
5. Why is a five-wicket haul in ODIs considered a major achievement?
A five-wicket haul in ODI cricket is considered a major achievement because it demonstrates a bowler’s ability to dominate an innings and significantly influence the result of the match. For the Youngest Bowlers with a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs, accomplishing this milestone at such a young age also highlights exceptional talent, composure, and the potential for a successful international career.