Imran Tahir is 47, but the former South Africa leg-spinner is still finding ways to surprise the T20 world. On Wednesday, Tahir produced one of the most remarkable spells of his long career, taking 5 wickets for just 17 runs for Guyana Amazon Warriors against Saint Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League 2026.
The performance was not only enough to put the Kings under serious pressure. It also gave Tahir another remarkable record at an age when most cricketers have long been away from professional competition.
At 47 years and 167 days, Tahir became the oldest player to take a five-wicket haul in men’s T20 cricket, surpassing the previous record held by Cook Islands’ Tomakanute Ritawa. Tahir’s latest five-for also moved past his previous best T20 figures of 5/21.
For a bowler who has spent almost two decades playing franchise cricket around the world, it was another reminder that Tahir’s competitive fire is still very much alive.
Imran Tahir’s Record-Breaking Spell
Tahir was introduced into the attack as Saint Lucia Kings attempted to build a competitive total at Providence Stadium.
He did not take long to make an impact.
The experienced leg-spinner repeatedly used his variations to trouble the Kings’ batters and eventually finished with extraordinary figures of 4-0-17-5, giving him an economy rate of just 4.25. The official match data records five dismissals for Tahir, while fellow spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz also claimed three wickets.
Tahir’s wickets included Matthew Forde, McKenny Clarke, Joshua Bishop, Kamil Pooran and Roston Chase.
Kamil Pooran was the top scorer for Saint Lucia Kings, making 43 from 35 balls, but Tahir removed him for the fourth wicket of his spell. He then returned to complete his five-wicket haul by dismissing Joshua Bishop lbw.
The numbers tell the story.
Four overs.
17 runs.
Five wickets.
And a new age record.
For Tahir, it was also his best bowling performance in T20 cricket.
The Oldest Five-Wicket Haul in T20 Cricket
Tahir’s achievement becomes even more impressive when his age is considered.
At 47 years and 167 days, he became the oldest player to claim a five-wicket haul in men’s T20 cricket.
The previous record belonged to Tomakanute Ritawa of the Cook Islands, who took 5/19 against Fiji at the age of 46 years and 299 days in 2022.
Tahir had already appeared on this particular list before Wednesday’s match.
In the 2025 CPL season, he took 5/21 for Guyana Amazon Warriors against Antigua & Barbuda Falcons at the age of 46 years and 148 days. That performance had made him the second-oldest player to take five wickets in a men’s T20 match at the time.
Now, he has gone one step further.
And remarkably, Tahir’s longevity is not simply about turning up and contributing occasionally. He remains capable of producing match-winning spells against established T20 players.
From 5/21 to 5/17: Tahir Gets Even Better
Tahir’s previous best T20 bowling figures were 5/21, which he recorded in the 2025 CPL.
His latest spell improved that record to 5/17.
That means the 2026 performance was not simply another five-wicket haul. It was the best bowling spell of his T20 career.
It is an extraordinary statistic considering how many T20 matches Tahir has played across different leagues and competitions.
The West Indies Cricket website lists him with hundreds of T20 appearances and shows his long association with Guyana Amazon Warriors. In the 2026 CPL season, his bowling figures after eight matches stood at 12 wickets, with his best being 5/17.
Tahir’s career has taken him across some of the biggest franchise competitions in the world, including the IPL, CPL, Pakistan Super League and other domestic T20 tournaments.
Yet even after all those years, he continues to add unusual records to his résumé.
Saint Lucia Kings Bowled Out for 119
Tahir was not the only Guyana bowler who caused problems.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz also produced an excellent spell, taking three wickets.
The combined effort left Saint Lucia Kings struggling to build momentum.
After 13.6 overs, the Kings were 81/9, with Tahir having already completed his five-wicket haul. The innings eventually ended at 119 all out in 18.5 overs.
Pooran’s 43 and Obus Pienaar’s 35 were the only substantial contributions with the bat.
But once the middle order collapsed, the Kings had little left to push the total towards a competitive 150-plus score.
Tahir’s five wickets were crucial because they came at exactly the moments when Saint Lucia Kings were trying to rebuild their innings.
Instead of allowing partnerships to develop, the veteran spinner kept finding breakthroughs.
Quentin Sampson Finishes the Job
A target of 120 was hardly intimidating for a strong Guyana Amazon Warriors batting line-up, but the chase was not completely straightforward.
Guyana lost wickets along the way and needed a late push to finish the match.
That is where Quentin Sampson produced the fireworks.
Sampson smashed 37 from just 11 balls, including five sixes, at an extraordinary strike rate of 336.36.
His innings completely changed the tempo of the chase.
Guyana eventually reached 122/6 in 18.3 overs, winning by four wickets with nine balls remaining.
Sampson’s late assault meant Guyana did not have to depend on a tense finish.
After Tahir had dismantled the Kings’ batting order, Sampson effectively slammed the door shut in the chase.
It was a fitting result for a Guyana side led by a player who had already produced the defining performance of the match.
Imran Tahir Is Still Making T20 History
What makes Tahir’s latest achievement particularly fascinating is that it is not an isolated example of longevity.
He has continued to collect five-wicket hauls well into his 40s.
According to Wisden’s record list following his 2025 five-for, Tahir had already taken three T20 five-wicket hauls after turning 40, an extraordinary feat in a format generally associated with younger, explosive players.
His career also includes international five-wicket hauls for South Africa. He took five wickets in T20I cricket against New Zealand in 2017 and against Zimbabwe in 2018, while his international career featured seven five-wicket hauls across Test, ODI and T20I cricket.
The latest CPL performance simply adds another remarkable chapter.
Tahir has now shown that age has not stopped him from producing the kind of spell that can decide a T20 match within a few overs.
The Numbers Behind the Remarkable Spell
There is a reason Tahir remains such a dangerous bowler despite his age.
His game has never been based purely on pace.
Instead, he relies on flight, changes of speed, googlies, accuracy and the ability to read batters.
That skill set can remain effective even when physical athleticism naturally declines.
His 5/17 against Saint Lucia Kings was particularly impressive because he conceded fewer than five runs per over while removing five batters.
A five-wicket haul in T20 cricket is already rare. Doing it while conceding only 17 runs makes the performance even more significant.
And doing it at 47 makes it extraordinary.
A Career That Refuses to Slow Down
Imran Tahir’s playing career has already lasted far longer than most professional cricketers could have imagined.
Born in Pakistan, Tahir went on to represent South Africa internationally and became one of the country’s most recognisable limited-overs spinners.
He retired from ODI cricket after the 2019 World Cup and finished his international career with South Africa, but franchise cricket has continued to provide him with opportunities.
The CPL has become one of the places where Tahir has remained a familiar figure.
He has also taken on leadership responsibilities, captaining Guyana Amazon Warriors.
That makes his latest record even more special.
He is not simply a veteran sitting on the sidelines.
He is still the captain, still bowling his four overs and, on this occasion, still taking five wickets.
Imran Tahir’s T20 Legacy Gets Another Chapter
Tahir’s latest five-wicket haul is the sort of performance that feels almost impossible when viewed through the usual lens of professional sport.
At 47, he is competing against players who are sometimes less than half his age.
Yet he has just produced the best T20 bowling figures of his career.
His 5/17 helped restrict Saint Lucia Kings to 119, while Guyana Amazon Warriors eventually completed the chase with a four-wicket victory.
More importantly, Tahir has rewritten the age record for a five-wicket haul in men’s T20 cricket.
There have been plenty of great T20 bowlers over the years, but very few have shown the longevity of Imran Tahir.
The former South Africa spinner has already enjoyed a career most cricketers would dream of.
Now, at 47, he is still finding new records to break.
Age may be catching up with Imran Tahir, but his googly clearly hasn’t got the message.
