Champions Trophy: Archer Surpasses Anderson as Fastest England Bowler to 50 ODI Wickets
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Synopsis
Jofra Archer has made headlines by becoming the fastest England bowler to reach 50 ODI wickets, achieving this feat in just 30 matches against Afghanistan during the Champions Trophy 2025 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Key Takeaways
- Jofra Archer reached 50 ODI wickets in just 30 matches.
- He surpassed James Anderson's previous record of 31 matches.
- Archer's performance included three wickets against Afghanistan.
- Ajantha Mendis holds the world record for fastest 50 ODI wickets.
- Archer's journey has been marked by injuries and challenges.
Lahore, Feb 26 (NationPress) Jofra Archer has made history by becoming the fastest England bowler to achieve 50 ODI wickets during the match against Afghanistan in the Group B stage of the Champions Trophy 2025, held at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Archer launched a powerful assault, dismantling the Afghan batting lineup by securing three wickets in quick succession. This remarkable performance allowed him to reach a crucial milestone—securing 50 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Most importantly, he outpaced the legendary James Anderson to claim the title of the fastest bowler in England's history to reach this landmark.
Prior to Archer's achievement, Anderson held the record for the quickest 50 wickets for England in ODIs, having accomplished this in 31 matches. Archer, however, surpassed that record by completing the feat in just his 30th ODI. He also outstripped other notable English bowlers such as Steve Harmison (32 matches), Steven Finn (33 matches), and both Stuart Broad & Darren Gough (34 matches).
On the international front, Ajantha Mendis, the mysterious spinner from Sri Lanka, still holds the world record for the fastest 50 ODI wickets, achieving it in a mere 19 matches. Among fast bowlers, India's Ajit Agarkar is one of the fastest, reaching this mark in just 23 ODIs.
Afghanistan called the toss in their favor and chose to bat first but quickly found themselves at 39/3 by the end of the powerplay. Archer's fiery spell included dismissing key player Rahmanullah Gurbaz (6) with an inswinging fuller delivery. He then trapped Sediqullah Atal lbw for four runs.
Rahmat Shah, attempting to pull the ball, edged it to deep fine leg for Archer's third wicket, making it a stellar performance.
Archer's journey to this landmark has spanned nearly six years, despite his explosive start in 2019 when he claimed 23 ODI wickets and a World Cup winner’s medal shortly after his debut. Nevertheless, a series of unfortunate injuries and the declining prominence of the ODI format impeded his progress. Regardless of these challenges, achieving this milestone remains a monumental accomplishment.
