Afghanistan may have spent two difficult days in the field against India in Mullanpur, but one name stood out from the contest. Mohammad Saleem Safi, a young fast bowler from Afghanistan, produced a memorable spell to become the first Afghan pacer to claim a five-wicket haul against India in Test cricket. His six-wicket performance came on a surface that offered little help to seamers. While India piled up 564 for 8 before declaring, Safi’s effort emerged as the biggest talking point. The achievement has also put fresh focus on Afghanistan’s search for reliable fast bowlers and raised a key question among cricket followers: Who is Saleem Safi, the first Afghan pacer to take a fifer against India in Tests?
The 23-year-old finished with figures of 6 for 140 from 27 overs, including seven maidens. He dismissed major Indian batters such as Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan before completing the landmark haul with the wickets of Manav Suthar and Mohammed Siraj. It was only his second Test appearance and the best bowling performance of his international career so far.
Saleem’s Journey to Cricket
Safi’s rise has been shaped by persistence. Born in Afghanistan’s Baghlan province, he entered competitive cricket as a teenager and made his first-class debut for Kunduz Province in 2019. However, financial difficulties forced him to step away from the game for a period. He later returned after receiving support from family and friends who encouraged him to continue pursuing cricket.
Reflecting on those difficult years, Saleem said, “I played for about a year, but then due to my family’s financial difficulties, I couldn’t move forward, so I left cricket for a little while. This is my second stint returning to cricket.” He also credited his friends, adding: “My friends supported me a lot, telling me that in Afghanistan, a bowler like you is not born often. You have a great chance to move forward.”
The comeback proved decisive. Safi progressed through domestic tournaments, talent-hunt programmes and high-performance camps before breaking into Afghanistan’s national setup. Injuries delayed his development, including a groin issue and a hamstring setback, but he continued moving forward. His ODI debut arrived in 2023, followed by a T20I appearance in 2024 and a Test debut against Sri Lanka. The Mullanpur six-for now stands as the second-best Test bowling return for Afghanistan and adds to a first-class record of 58 wickets from 18 matches.
Afghan Coach’s Praise for Saleem
Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus highlighted Safi’s discipline rather than his speed. According to Pybus, the pacer impressed because he repeatedly hit the correct areas and maintained pressure throughout long spells. The coach noted that consistency allowed him to extract whatever assistance the surface offered and remain a threat despite batting-friendly conditions.
Praising the young seamer, Pybus said, “What I really like is the consistency. It’s not about bowling the occasional 145 or mixing it up. It’s about being relentlessly accurate. If you control your lengths well, you’re always in the game. ”
The praise was echoed by India’s Washington Sundar. The all-rounder described Safi’s effort as a high-quality performance, pointing to his ability to bowl extended spells in difficult weather while maintaining intensity. Sundar said taking a six-wicket haul as a fast bowler in Indian conditions was a significant achievement. As Afghanistan looks to strengthen its pace attack, Safi’s performance in Mullanpur could mark the beginning of a bigger role in the team’s Test future.
