Who Is Saleem Safi? First Afghan Pacer to Take a Five-Wicket Haul Against India in Tests
India dominated Afghanistan on Day 2 of the one-off Test in Mullanpur as Shubman Gill and KL Rahul scored centuries and helped the hosts surge past 500, eventually declaring at 564 for 8 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium. Afghanistan’s bowling unit struggled for long periods against India’s top order, but pacer Saleem Safi provided a major breakthrough for the visitors by claiming six wickets for 140 runs. His spell became a rare bright spot for Afghanistan in a difficult Test, as he also became the first Afghanistan bowler to take a five-wicket haul against India in Tests.
The 23-year-old right-arm fast bowler had already begun to make a name for himself with his pace and movement with the new ball, and his performance in Mullanpur underlined his potential as one of Afghanistan’s most promising pace prospects. Saleem struck key Indian batters, including Gill and Sai Sudharsan, and maintained discipline throughout his spell despite India’s dominance.
Born in Kabul on September 9, 2002, Mohammad Saleem Safi has progressed through Afghanistan’s domestic cricket system before earning recognition at the international level. He made his first-class debut for Kunduz Province in 2019 and later featured in List A and T20 cricket, developing steadily as a fast-bowling option. His strong domestic performances brought him into Afghanistan’s national setup, where selectors first named him in a Test squad for the Zimbabwe series in 2021.
Saleem’s international career has been gradual but significant. He made his ODI debut against Bangladesh on July 5, 2023, appearing in two matches in that series. He later made his T20I debut against India on January 17, 2024, and received his Test cap against Sri Lanka on February 2, 2024. Though still early in his career, he has now represented Afghanistan in all three formats, marking him out as a key part of the team’s future fast-bowling plans.
At the domestic level, Saleem has played first-class, List A and T20 cricket since 2019. He has represented Kunduz Province in first-class cricket, Amo Region in List A matches and Boost Defenders in the Shpageeza Cricket League. Across formats, his record shows a young bowler still developing but already capable of producing impact performances against strong opposition.
In Tests, Saleem now has six wickets from two matches, with best bowling figures of 6 for 123. His latest effort against India, finishing with six wickets in the innings, stands as the biggest statement of his short international career so far and a reminder that Afghanistan’s pace attack is beginning to produce noteworthy talent.
