KEY POINTS
- Maaz Sadaqat breaks Chris Gayle’s 24-year-old record, becomes youngest to score fifty and take three wickets in an ODI against Bangladesh at 20 years and 302 days
- Smashes 75 off 46 balls with six fours and five sixes, then claims 3-23 to power Pakistan to series-levelling victory
- Impressive domestic and PSL credentials, amasses 1,451 first-class runs, 1,065 List A runs, and 947 T20 runs while striking at 142.19 in PSL 2025 for Peshawar Zalmi
- Stars in President’s Cup 2025 (374 runs at 62.33), Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 (258 runs at 129, seven wickets), and represents Pakistan Under-19 in 2022 World Cup
ISLAMABAD: In just his second ODI for Pakistan, 20-year-old Maaz Sadaqat has announced his arrival on the international stage in spectacular fashion, smashing a 46-ball 75 and claiming three wickets to not only power Pakistan to a series-levelling victory but also break a 24-year-old world record held by West Indies legend Chris Gayle.
The southpaw’s breathtaking all-round performance in the second ODI against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium made him the youngest player in history to score a half-century and take three wickets in an ODI against Bangladesh, achieving the feat at 20 years and 302 days, nearly three years younger than Gayle was when he set the previous mark in 2002.
Player of the match: Maaz Sadaqat (Pakistan) 75 off 46
Pakistan won by 128 runs (DLS method | Bangladesh🆚Pakistan | 2nd ODI | Dutch-Bangla Bank ODI Series 2026! 🏏🔥
13 March 2026 | 2:15 PM (BST)
SBNCS, Dhaka
Post- Match Presentation:
Ahsan Iqbal Chowdhury, Director of… pic.twitter.com/5867YXFfQb
— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) March 13, 2026
From humble debut to historic triumph
Sadaqat’s international journey began just days earlier, when he made his ODI debut in the series opener alongside three other Pakistan teammates, including his opening partner Sahibzada Farhan. That outing yielded a modest 28-ball 18 as Pakistan slumped to an eight-wicket defeat.
But the youngster proved why his all-round skills were so highly rated in the must-win second game. Opening the batting, he launched a brutal assault on the Bangladesh bowling attack, hammering six fours and five sixes in his 46-ball knock . His 103-run opening stand with Farhan laid the platform for Pakistan’s imposing total of 274 .
When Bangladesh came out to chase a revised target after rain interruptions, Sadaqat returned with his left-arm orthodox spin to dismantle the hosts’ batting lineup. He dismissed Litton Das, Afif Hossain, and Rishad Hossain, conceding just 23 runs in five overs . His figures of 75 runs and 3-23 earned him the Player of the Match award and a permanent place in Pakistan’s cricketing folklore .
Breaking new ground
Sadaqat’s achievement extends beyond the Bangladesh-specific record. No player had previously accomplished the fifty and three-wicket double against Bangladesh before turning 23 . The list of players who have managed this feat reads like a who’s who of all-round cricket:
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Sadaqat is also the 14th youngest player in ODI history to achieve the rare double of a fifty and three wickets in the same match, an elite club that includes Pakistan legends Shahid Afridi (who achieved it twice) and Abdul Razzaq .
The making of a star
Born May 15, 2005, in Peshawar, Sadaqat’s journey to international cricket has been built on a foundation of domestic dominance. He comes with a rich background, having played 25 first-class, 30 List A, and 33 T20 matches across Pakistan’s competitive domestic structure.
His numbers tell the story of a genuine all-rounder: 1,451 first-class runs, 1,065 List A runs, and 947 T20 runs, all averaging above 35 across formats. His strike rate of 103.59 in List A cricket and an explosive 142.19 in T20s highlight his adaptability.
His maiden ODI call-up came on the back of a stellar President’s Cup 2025 campaign, where he scored 374 runs in seven matches at an average of 62.33, striking at 144.40—the highest in the competition. Opening alongside Imam-ul-Haq for Oil & Gas, the highlight was a breathtaking 57-ball hundred against eventual champions Khan Research Laboratories. CricketArchive records confirm his 110 off 65 balls in another President’s Cup match against WAPDA, featuring seven fours and ten sixes.
Pakistan super league and beyond
PSL fans got their first glimpse of Sadaqat’s talent when he played four matches for Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 2025, where he was listed as an Emerging category player . He made an immediate impact with a half-century on debut in a tricky chase against Islamabad United, finishing the season with 78 runs in three innings at a staggering strike rate of 165.95.
It was the debut of Maaz Sadaqat, didn’t play that well today, but it’s a long journey and he will progress. He will emerge as a great cricketer.
pic.twitter.com/LhvPmX9YH4— Moments & memories (@momentmemori) March 11, 2026
His debut knock came at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, where he walked in at 38-3 alongside Babar Azam. The duo stitched a match-changing 102-run stand, with Sadaqat contributing a 33-ball 55. After the match, Babar Azam was full of praise for the teenager: “Maaz batted brilliantly under pressure. His confidence at the crease gave me belief as well. The credit for this win goes to him. He played fearlessly from the beginning and took the pressure off. His maturity is impressive for someone so young”.
Sadaqat himself recalled: “With Babar at the other end, I felt no pressure. That time helped me realise how much I have trained all my life to get here”.
Rising through the ranks
Sadaqat’s cricketing education began at Ashnaghar Cricket Club in Peshawar. From there, he progressed through PCB’s pathway system, representing Pakistan Under-19 in the 2022 Under-19 World Cup. In a crucial group match against Afghanistan U19, he scored an unbeaten 42 off 37 balls and took a wicket, earning Player of the Match honours.
MAAZ SADAQAT, WHAT A SHOT! pic.twitter.com/IZqRSzxIau
— Team Shaheen Afridi (@Team_Shaheen_) November 21, 2025
His breakout moment on the international stage came during the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 in Doha, where he was named Player of the Tournament. He scored 258 runs in five innings at an astonishing average of 129, claiming seven wickets at just 7.43 apiece. His performance against India A—an unbeaten 79 off 47 balls followed by 2-13, announced his arrival as a genuine prospect.
He also impressed for Pakistan A against England Lions in Abu Dhabi recently, hitting a 36-ball 53 and picking up two wickets in a narrow defeat.
The all-round package
What sets Sadaqat apart is his versatility. He combines classical technique with modern power-hitting, adapting seamlessly across formats . His bowling, slow left-arm orthodox, provides crucial breakthroughs and economical spells, making him a captain’s dream.
Beyond Pakistan, his talent has been recognised internationally, with representation for Janakpur Bolts in the Nepal Premier League adding to his growing portfolio.
The road ahead
With the three-match series now level at 1-1, Sadaqat’s emergence could not have been better timed for Pakistan. His ability to contribute with both bat and ball gives captain Shaheen Shah Afridi invaluable flexibility in the series decider on Sunday.
For Sadaqat, the journey from Peshawar’s club cricket to breaking Chris Gayle’s world record has been swift but earned. At just 20, he has already achieved what most cricketers only dream of—and if his start is any indication, the best may be yet to come.
