Iftikhar Ahmed Makes History in PSL with Remarkable Bowling Feat

Historic Performance by Iftikhar Ahmed

During the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL) match held at the National Stadium in Karachi on April 8, Iftikhar Ahmed made headlines with an extraordinary bowling performance against the Hyderabad Kingsmen. Brought into the attack by Babar Azam during the powerplay, the 35-year-old all-rounder turned the match around by claiming four wickets in just two overs, leaving the Hyderabad team struggling at 34-4. He struck early by dismissing Maaz Sadaqat in the third over and followed up with the crucial wickets of Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, and Sharjeel Khan in the fifth over. Kusal Perera later contributed a quickfire 55 off 38 balls, helping the Marnus Labuschagne-led side post a total of 145 runs before being bowled out. Iftikhar concluded his spell with impressive figures of 4 wickets for 21 runs in four overs.

Iftikhar Ahmed's Unique Achievement

Iftikhar has now become only the second spinner in PSL history to take four wickets during the powerplay, a feat previously accomplished by Samit Patel in 2020 while playing for Lahore Qalandars against Quetta Gladiators. This remarkable achievement has only been recorded by eight spinners in the entire history of T20 cricket globally, with just one instance occurring in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the past 14 years. Notably, no spinner has yet taken five wickets in the powerplay of a T20 match, placing Iftikhar in a unique position alongside eight other players who share this record. Indian cricket legend Ravichandran Ashwin was the first to achieve this milestone in international cricket.

Most Wickets by a Spinner in PSL History

In addition to being the first Pakistani spinner to achieve this milestone in the PSL, Iftikhar's performance marks a significant moment in T20 cricket, as no other spinner from Pakistan has previously taken four wickets in the powerplay across any format, including international and domestic leagues.