South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir has continued to defy age, producing a record-breaking performance at 47 in the Caribbean Premier League. Representing Guyana Amazon Warriors, Tahir claimed five wickets against St Lucia Kings in Providence, recording the feat at an age rarely associated with top-level professional cricket.
Tahir finished with remarkable figures of five wickets for just 17 runs from his four overs. It was the best bowling performance of his career in recognised T20 cricket and his sixth five-wicket haul in the format.
The performance also saw Tahir move further up the list of T20 bowlers with the most five-wicket hauls. He now sits second with six, behind Namibia’s David Wiese, who has achieved the feat seven times. Five players share third place with five five-wicket hauls each: Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga, India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan.
Tahir’s achievement is particularly notable given his age. At 47, he is not merely continuing to play franchise cricket but remains capable of producing match-defining spells against established T20 opponents. His latest figures underline the value of his experience, variations and ability to operate effectively in the middle overs.
The veteran spinner is also closing in on another significant milestone in the global T20 game. His five wickets against St Lucia took his overall tally in all forms of T20 cricket to 589. That places him fourth on the list of the format’s leading wicket-takers.
Only three bowlers have taken more T20 wickets than Tahir. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan leads the list with 736 wickets, followed by West Indies spinner Sunil Narine on 657 and former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo on 631. Tahir’s 589 wickets have come across a long career spanning international and franchise T20 cricket.
The CPL has been one of the most productive competitions of his T20 career. Tahir has taken 142 wickets in the tournament, the highest number he has claimed in any single T20 competition. He has also remained among the wickets during the current season, taking 12 so far.
Tahir’s role with Guyana extends beyond bowling. At the age of 47, he is also leading the side, bringing considerable experience to a squad competing at the highest level of Caribbean franchise cricket. His latest five-wicket haul further strengthened his contribution to the team.
His continued presence in franchise cricket is all the more striking given that his international career ended several years ago. Tahir last represented South Africa more than seven years ago, yet he has remained a prominent figure in the global T20 circuit.
During his international career, he played 20 Tests, 107 one-day internationals and 38 T20 internationals for South Africa. His international numbers established him as one of the country’s leading limited-overs spinners, while his subsequent franchise career has allowed him to remain a significant presence in T20 cricket.
For Tahir, one of the biggest sources of motivation to keep performing at his best is his son. That personal motivation has accompanied a professional career that has now entered a remarkable phase, with the veteran continuing to compete, lead and take wickets long after many players have retired.
His latest performance in Providence adds another record to an already distinguished T20 career. At 47, Tahir remains capable of producing spells that influence matches and add to his growing collection of milestones in the shortest format.
