Rehan Ahmed achieved a feat that is rarely seen in cricket – the 18-year and 205 days old became the youngest player to represent England in an ODI match against Bangladesh, beating the long-standing record of Ben Hollioake. Not only was this a remarkable achievement, but Rehan had also gone on to become the youngest Test cricketer to play for England. Here, we take a look at five other cricketers who made their debuts at a very young age.
#1 Shahid Afridi
Shahid Afridi broke records when he made his ODI debut at the tender age of 16 years and 215 days in 1996. Representing Pakistan, he has gone on to play 398 games, accumulating 8064 runs and 395 wickets along the way. Known for fast-tracking young players, Pakistan has established a legacy for itself in this regard, making Afridi one of their greatest success stories.
#2 Sachin Tendulkar
In 1989, Sachin Tendulkar was only 16 years and 238 days old when he made his debut in the one-day format against Pakistan. His ODI career spanned 463 matches, during which he racked up a world record 18426 runs and smashed 49 centuries, the most by any batsman in this format. In 2012, he played his last ODI match at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka against Pakistan.
#3 Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Mujeeb Ur Rahman, aged 16 years and 252 days, debuted in the One Day International against Ireland in Sharjah. The talented spinner has showcased his skill for his country in 55 ODIs and has accumulated 79 wickets at an average of 24.76. His last ODI was against Sri Lanka, but Rahman’s passion for cricket is sure to make him a key player in many more games for Afghanistan.
#4 Abdul Razzaq
Razzak debuted at the young age of 16 years and 235 days while representing Pakistan in the ODI format. Throughout his impressive career, he made 5080 runs and took 269 wickets, remaining an integral part of Pakistan’s lineup. His final game of the 265 matches was against Sri Lanka in 2011.
#5 Rashid Khan
At the tender age of 17 years and 28 days, Rashid Khan made an impressive ODI debut for Afghanistan in 2015. Since then, he has made 86 appearances, notching up 163 wickets in the process. Finding success against some of the best batsmen around, Rashid is currently the captain of Afghanistan’s T20 team.
