Who Is Noman Ali? He Picked 7 Wickets In An Innings To Help PAK Whitewash Sri Lanka In Tests

Meet Pakistan's spinner Noman Ali, who was responsible in breaking the back of Sri Lankan batting in the 2nd innings of the second Test match, which the visitors won by an innings and 222 runs.

Noman Ali. (Source: Twitter)

Pakistan spinner Noman Ali powered the Men In Green to a dominant win over Sri Lanka in the 2nd Test. Pakistan completed the win in just under four days, bowling out Lankans for just 188 in the second innings. The chief architect of the 2nd innings destruction of the Lanka innings was Noman who finished with seven wickets. At one stage, he had picked all the seven wickets on the innings and was looking set to join the likes of Jim Laker, Anil Kumble and Ajaz Patel to pick the 10 wickets in an innings. But it was not to be as Naseem Shah dismissed the remaining three Lanka batters to bowl them out for 188. 

Naseem has also completed tally of 50 Test wickets on the way. Pakistan will return with the trophy while Sri Lanka have much on their plate to ponder upon as far as their Test cricket goes.

Who is Noman Ali?

Noman Ali was born on October 7 in 1986 Sanghar region of Sind in Pakistan. He is among the oldest cricketers to make their Test debut. Noman is 36 years old today and will turn a year old soon. He had made his debut at the age of 34. His Test debut came in the game vs South Africa at Karachi in Janaury 2021. So far, including this ongoing Test vs Sri Lanka, Noman has played in 15 Tests, picking 47 wickets.

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Well played, boys _#SLvPAK pic.twitter.com/PdDIAy76Uy

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) July 27, 2023

The left-arm orthodox spinner has a superb first-class record. In 107 first-class matches, he has picked up 365 wickets. Not to forget, he has 107 wickets in List A career in which he has played 81 matches. Noman is also a decent T20 bowler, playing 45 games so far and picking 41 wickets at an economy of just over 7, which is quite an achievement.

On his Test debut which was against the Proteas Men, Noman has completed a five0-wicket haul. He had finished this Karachi Test in 2021 with a total of seven wickets, helping Pakistan to a seven-wicket victory. Noman had picked up 2 in the firt innings while dismissing five batters in the second. His five-wicket haul included wickets of Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje. The wickets are proof that Noman likes bowling to tail-enders, not leaving any scope for a comeback by the lower-order batters. In Pakistan Super League, Noman has featured for Multan Sultans.