Former South African leg spinner Imran Tahir has created a brand new milestone in shortest format of the game through his exceptional bowling magic. Captaining the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the ongoing Caribbean Premier League 2026, the veteran cricketer produced a match winning spell against St Lucia Kings. Spinning a web around the opposition even at 47 years of age, Tahir bagged a five-wicket haul to guide his team to a thrilling four-wicket victory. With this extraordinary feat, he has established himself as the oldest male bowler in T20 history to claim five wickets in an innings.
Dominant Spell Against St Lucia Kings
Leading Guyana Amazon Warriors from the front, Imran Tahir utilized the match conditions brilliantly to turn the game on its head. Delivering four precise overs, he conceded just 17 runs while dismantling the opponent line-up with five key wickets. His economical yet lethal leg-spin restricted St Lucia Kings severely and laid the foundation for his side's victory. Backed by his bowling performance, Guyana Amazon Warriors successfully sealed the encounter by four wickets.
Surpassing Tomakanute Ritawa's Benchmark
Ever since retiring from international cricket, Imran Tahir has remained a key figure across franchise leagues around the globe. At the moment he completed his five-wicket haul against St Lucia Kings, he was exactly 47 years and 166 days old. With this performance, he eclipsed the record previously held by Cook Islands player Tomakanute Ritawa, who had taken a T20 five-wicket haul at the age of 46 years and 299 days.
Oldest Male Bowlers With a T20 Five-Wicket Haul
The statistical rankings for the oldest male bowlers taking five wickets in a T20 match reflect Imran Tahir's absolute dominance over longevity. Remarkably, Tahir's name features four distinct times within the top six positions of this prestigious list
- Imran Tahir (South Africa): 47 years 166 days
- Tomakanute Ritawa (Cook Islands): 46 years 299 days
- Imran Tahir (South Africa): 46 years 148 days
- Imran Tahir (South Africa): 44 years 323 days
- Prakash Mishra (Bulgaria): 44 years 165 days
- Imran Tahir (South Africa): 42 years 135 days
Overall T20 Record Held by Joanne Hicks
When considering combined records across both men's and women's T20 cricket, the absolute record for the oldest bowler to take five wickets in an innings belongs to Joanne Hicks of the Isle of Man. Hicks achieved this historic milestone at 51 years and 173 days old while playing against the Greece women's team. In that T20 International, she conceded merely 10 runs while securing five wickets, making her the oldest player across all gender divisions to claim a five-wicket haul in international cricket.
