South Africa's Imran Tahir Creates History On Opening Day Of World Cup 2019

Right after bowling the first delivery of this year’s World Cup, South Africa’s veteran spinner Imran Tahir created history. Skipper Faf du Plessis sprung a huge surprise by giving Tahir the ball to bowl the first over. And in doing so, Tahir became the first spinner in World Cup history to open proceedings with the ball.

Before Tahir’s over, New Zealand spinner Dipak Patel held the record for bowling the earliest over as a spinner. He had bowled the second over in the 1992 World Cup while playing against Australia. Tahir, nonetheless, totally justified his captain’s faith by picking the prized scalp of in-form Jonny Bairstow for a duck on the very second ball of the match.

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He later dismissed a well-set England captain Eoin Morgan to finish the game with figures of 2 for 61 from his ten overs. Tahir, who bagged the Purple Cap for taking 26 wickets for Chennai Super Kings in this year’s IPL, also became the oldest South African to play in a World Cup match.

Before Tahir, Omar Henry held the record. In the 1992 World Cup, Henry had played against Sri Lanka at the age of  40 years and 39 days. He had scored 11 runs off 13 balls and recorded bowling figures of 10-0-31-1 as Sri Lanka won by 3 wickets. Tahir, on the other hand, is 40 years and 64 days.

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The overall record for the oldest player ever to play a World Cup match belongs to Nolan Clark of the Netherlands who was 47 years and 257 days when he played against South Africa, in Rawalpindi at the 1996 World Cup.

Talking about the match, England finished on 311 for 8 after being asked to bat first. The hosts rode on fifties from Jason Roy, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler to post the massive total.

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