At 47, Imran Tahir breaks his own record as oldest player to take a T20 five-wicket haul

There was a moment in Guyana this week that felt almost impossible.

A 47-year-old leg-spinner sprinted away in celebration, arms outstretched, after dismantling a batting line-up in a format that is supposed to belong to the young. The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has seen its share of stars, but what Imran Tahir did against Saint Lucia Kings was something else entirely.

The South African spin legend didn't just take five wickets. He broke his own record as the oldest player ever to claim a five-wicket haul in T20 cricket. And in the process, he edged even closer to a landmark that only three bowlers in history have reached.

Imran Tahir breaks his own age record in T20 cricket

According to CPL match records and statistics compiled by ESPNcricinfo, Tahir returned figures of 5/17 in four overs against Saint Lucia Kings, removing key batters including captain Roston Chase.

At 47 years and 166 days, Tahir became the oldest cricketer to take a five-wicket haul in a T20 match. Remarkably, the previous record also belonged to him. He had set it during the 2025 CPL season when he claimed a five-for at the age of 46 years and 148 days.

Most cricketers spend their late 40s in commentary boxes. Tahir is still winning matches.

The road to 600 T20 wickets is suddenly very close

The latest spell pushed Tahir's career T20 tally to 589 wickets in 461 matches.

That leaves him just 11 wickets short of the 600-wicket mark, a milestone achieved by only three bowlers in men's T20 cricket: Rashid Khan, Sunil Narine and Dwayne Bravo.

For a bowler who made his international debut relatively late and spent years travelling between franchise leagues around the world, joining that club would be another extraordinary chapter in an already remarkable career.

Why Imran Tahir's achievement is so unusual

T20 cricket is designed to punish bowlers.

Batters are stronger, boundaries are shorter, and scoring rates continue to rise every season. Leg-spinners often rely on sharp reflexes, explosive movement and physical endurance—qualities that generally decline with age.

Yet Tahir continues to thrive.

This season, he sits among the leading wicket-takers in the CPL with 12 wickets from eight matches while maintaining an economy rate below seven runs per over. Those numbers would be impressive for a player in his twenties. For someone nearing 50, they are almost unprecedented.

How Guyana Amazon Warriors survived a Saint Lucia scare

Tahir's brilliance helped bowl Saint Lucia Kings out for 119 in 18.5 overs.

Kamil Pooran top-scored with 43, while Obus Pienaar added 35. But Tahir's spell ensured the Kings never built momentum.

The chase, however, was far from straightforward.

Saint Lucia captain Roston Chase claimed three wickets and reduced Guyana to 69/4, threatening an upset. Glenn Phillips steadied the innings before Quentin Sampson produced a stunning unbeaten 37 from just 11 balls, smashing five sixes to seal a four-wicket victory.

The result kept Guyana's campaign on track and ensured Tahir's record-breaking evening ended in celebration.

Is Imran Tahir cricket's ultimate age-defying superstar?

The numbers make a compelling case.

He remains one of the most effective T20 bowlers on the planet. He is still breaking records. And he is now just 11 wickets away from becoming only the fourth bowler in history to reach 600 T20 wickets.

For years, Tahir's trademark celebration has been a sprint across the field after taking a wicket.

At 47, the remarkable thing is not that he is still running.

It is that the rest of cricket is still struggling to catch him.

(With inputs from ANI)