LAHORE – The year 2025 proved to be a memorable one for Pakistan cricket as the national team clinched several major titles including the tri-nation series, Hong Kong Sixes, Emerging Asia Cup and the Under-19 Asia Cup while a number of players also achieved significant individual milestones.
A review of Pakistan’s year-long performances shows that bowlers played a decisive role, with Mohammad Abbas, Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Sadia Iqbal and Fatima Sana delivering standout performances across formats.
At the start of the year, Pakistan’s spin duo Sajid Khan and Noman Ali produced remarkable performances in the Test series against the West Indies. The two-match series ended in a 1-1 draw, but the spinners dominated proceedings and set new benchmarks.
Noman Ali’s historic feats
Left-arm spinner Noman Ali emerged as one of Pakistan’s top performers in the series, claiming 16 wickets against the West Indies. His impressive haul earned him a place among the top five bowlers in the ICC Test rankings.
Noman Ali’s biggest achievement during the series was a rare Test hat-trick. He became the first Pakistani spinner to take a hat-trick in Test cricket and the fifth Pakistani bowler overall to achieve the feat.
Before him, Wasim Akram took two Test hat-tricks against Sri Lanka in 1999, followed by Abdul Razzaq in 2000 against Sri Lanka, Mohammad Sami in 2002 against Sri Lanka, and Naseem Shah in 2020 against Bangladesh.
During the same series, Noman Ali also claimed a five-wicket haul, taking his tally to eight five-wicket hauls in Test cricket. He also recorded the second 10-wicket match haul of his Test career. Owing to his consistent performances, Noman Ali is currently ranked fourth in the ICC Test bowling rankings.
Sajid Khan’s rapid rise
The other half of Pakistan’s spin pairing, right-arm off-spinner Sajid Khan, played a crucial role in Pakistan’s victory in the first Test against the West Indies. He claimed four wickets in the first innings and five in the second, finishing the match with nine wickets.
With this performance, Sajid Khan became Pakistan’s third-fastest bowler to complete 50 Test wickets, achieving the milestone in just 11 matches. Former leg-spinner Yasir Shah still holds the record for the fastest 50 Test wickets by a Pakistani, having reached the mark in nine matches.
Mohammad Abbas reaches landmark
Meanwhile, fast bowler Mohammad Abbas achieved a major personal milestone despite Pakistan’s series defeat against South Africa. Pakistan played a two-match Test series against South Africa at the end of 2024, with the second Test concluding at the start of 2025.
Although Pakistan lost the series, Mohammad Abbas completed 100 Test wickets during the contest. He reached the landmark in just 27 matches, underlining his consistency and importance in Pakistan’s pace attack.
Overall, 2025 highlighted Pakistan’s strong bowling depth, with both spinners and pacers playing a key role in the team’s successes and individual achievements throughout the year.
