Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Abbas has added another special achievement to his long cricketing career. The experienced pacer completed 900 wickets in first-class cricket during the second Test against England at Lord’s.
Abbas reached the landmark with the wicket of England opener Ben Duckett. He trapped the left-hander LBW for 17 to complete his 900th first-class wicket in his 222nd match.
For a bowler who has built his career around accuracy, movement and patience, 900 first-class wickets tell the story of his consistency over the years.
And there is another number that makes his record even more impressive.
Abbas has a better first-class bowling average than some of Pakistan’s greatest fast bowlers, including Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Imran Khan.
Mohammad Abbas Completes 900 First-Class Wickets at Lord’s
Pakistan needed a strong start after losing the opening Test of the series by an innings and 103 runs, and Abbas provided exactly that at Lord’s.
He first dismissed Emilio Gay for eight before removing Duckett for 17.
The Duckett dismissal brought up the milestone of 900 first-class wickets.
Abbas was not finished there.
He also dismissed England captain Joe Root as Pakistan reduced the hosts to 80/4 by lunch. Abbas had excellent figures of 3/34 at the interval.
It was another reminder of what Abbas can do when conditions offer even a little movement.
He may not have the extreme pace associated with many great fast bowlers, but his control and ability to move the ball continue to trouble top-order batters.
Mohammad Abbas Joins Pakistan’s Legendary Fast Bowlers
With his 900th wicket, Abbas joined an elite group of Pakistan fast bowlers.
Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Sarfaraz Nawaz and Waqar Younis are the four Pakistan pacers ahead of Abbas on the all-time first-class wicket list.
Abbas is now fifth among Pakistan fast bowlers.
Most First-Class Wickets by Pakistan Fast Bowlers
| Rank | Bowler | Matches | Wickets | Bowling Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Imran Khan | 382 | 1,287 | 22.32 |
| 2 | Wasim Akram | 257 | 1,042 | 21.64 |
| 3 | Sarfaraz Nawaz | 299 | 1,005 | 24.62 |
| 4 | Waqar Younis | 228 | 956 | 22.33 |
| 5 | Mohammad Abbas | 222* | 900+ | Around 20.4 |
The career figures of Pakistan’s four legendary pacers are well established, while Abbas reached the 900-wicket mark in his 222nd first-class appearance.
It puts him in outstanding company.
Abbas Ahead of Wasim, Waqar and Imran in Bowling Average
The number of wickets is impressive, but there is another statistic that makes Abbas’ first-class record even more special.
His bowling average is better than those of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Sarfaraz Nawaz.
Think about the names on that list.
Wasim is regarded as one of the finest left-arm fast bowlers cricket has produced. Waqar terrified batters with his pace, yorkers and reverse swing.
Imran is one of Pakistan’s greatest cricketers, while Sarfaraz Nawaz was a master of reverse swing and finished with more than 1,000 first-class wickets.
Yet, when it comes purely to first-class bowling average, Abbas stands ahead of all four.
| Bowler | First-Class Wickets | Bowling Average |
| Mohammad Abbas | 900+ | ~20.4 |
| Wasim Akram | 1,042 | 21.64 |
| Imran Khan | 1,287 | 22.32 |
| Waqar Younis | 956 | 22.33 |
| Sarfaraz Nawaz | 1,005 | 24.62 |
Earlier in 2026, Abbas had 854 first-class wickets at an average of 20.33. His average remained around the 20-run mark as he moved past 900 wickets.
That is an outstanding record for any fast bowler.
57 Five-Wicket Hauls Show Abbas’ Consistency
Abbas’ first-class career is not only about reaching 900 wickets.
By the time he reached the landmark, the Pakistan pacer had registered 57 five-wicket hauls in first-class cricket.
He has also been credited with 15 ten-wicket match hauls.
Those numbers show how regularly Abbas has been able to take control of an innings rather than simply collect wickets over a long career.
Mohammad Abbas’ First-Class Record at 900-Wicket Milestone
| Statistic | Record |
| First-Class Matches | 222 |
| Wickets | 900 |
| Bowling Average | Around 20.4 |
| Five-Wicket Hauls | 57 |
| 10-Wicket Match Hauls | 15 |
| First-Class Debut | 2009 |
Abbas made his first-class debut in 2009 before earning his first Pakistan Test cap in 2017.
That makes the 900-wicket milestone a result of years of hard work across domestic cricket, county cricket and the international game.
Ben Duckett Becomes Abbas’ 900th First-Class Wicket
There could hardly have been a better venue to reach the landmark than Lord’s.
Abbas started by getting Emilio Gay caught behind for eight.
He then produced the kind of delivery that has brought him hundreds of wickets throughout his career against Duckett.
The ball came back into the left-hander and struck him on the pads.
Pakistan’s initial LBW appeal was turned down, but Abbas was confident.
The decision was reviewed, and ball-tracking showed the delivery hitting the stumps. The on-field decision was overturned.
Duckett was gone for 17.
And Mohammad Abbas had first-class wicket number 900.
He later added the important wicket of Joe Root to complete an excellent opening spell.
What Makes Mohammad Abbas So Difficult to Face?
Abbas has never been a bowler who depends on raw pace.
That has never been his game.
His biggest strength is his control.
He can keep hitting the same area over and over again, forcing batters to make decisions almost every delivery.
Then there is his ability to move the ball both through the air and off the surface.
A batter might feel comfortable leaving several deliveries, but Abbas rarely allows that comfort to last for long. One small mistake in judgement can be enough.
That style of bowling has been particularly effective in conditions where there is movement available.
And it explains why Abbas has been able to maintain such an impressive average across such a long first-class career.