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One-off Test: Mohammad Saleem Safi claims six-wicket haul versus India
07 Jun 2026

Afghanistan's Mohammad Saleem Safi has emerged as a standout performer for his team in the ongoing one-off Test against India in Mullanpur.

The young pacer, playing just his second Test match, took an impressive six-wicket haul across the first two days of the match.

His performance came despite difficult conditions and a pitch that wasn't very helpful for bowlers.

Owing to the same, India's strong batting line-up declared at a massive 564-8.

Here we look at Safi's performance and stats.

A stunning six-fer for Safi
Match details

Safi dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal for 24 and B Sai Sudharsan for 81 on Day 1.

Indian captain Shubman Gill was his third victim of the day as he nicked to the keeper for 126 runs on Day 2 morning.

Dhruv Jurel's wicket was a highlight of Safi's performance as the ball jagged back sharply to hit the stumps while attempting to leave it alone.

Safi's impressive bowling performance also saw him dismiss Manav Suthar and Mohammed Siraj.

Safi's Test debut and initial struggles
Career trajectory

Safi, who hails from Baghlan in Northern Afghanistan, made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo back in February 2024.

However, he had a disappointing outing as he bowled just 12.1 overs for 57 runs before leaving the field mid-game due to a left hamstring strain.

Nevertheless, he recorded a stunning spell in his second Test appearance (6/140 from 27 overs). The pacer also bowled three maidens.

Career-best figures in FC cricket  
Fact

As per ESPNcricinfo, Safi now has three fifers across 18 First-Class matches. This is the first instance of him taking six wickets in an innings. The 23-year-old pacer's tally in the format now reads 58 wickets at 28-plus.