In a stunning display of veteran prowess, Oman’s Aamir Kaleem has etched his name into T20 World Cup history. At 44 years and 86 days old, the seasoned all-rounder became the oldest player to score a half-century in the tournament, surpassing his own teammate’s mark during a thrilling chase against Ireland in Colombo.
Kaleem’s explosive knock came off just 28 balls at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Saturday. He shattered Mohammad Nadeem’s previous record, set at 43 years and 161 days against Sri Lanka in the same event. The 29-ball 50 featured five boundaries and two massive sixes, igniting hopes for Oman’s improbable pursuit of 237.
Starting with a boundary off the second ball and a six on the fourth, Kaleem anchored the innings amid tumbling wickets. He forged a crucial 73-run partnership with Hammad Mirza, who later scored 46 off 37 balls. Though Kaleem fell to a sharp bouncer from Barry McCarthy, his effort stood as the lone half-century in Oman’s 139 all out in 18 overs.
This wasn’t Kaleem’s first milestone. He recently became the oldest player to feature in a T20 World Cup, eclipsing Hong Kong’s Ryan Campbell’s 2016 record. Since debuting for Oman in 2016, Kaleem has amassed 718 runs and 48 wickets across 54 T20Is, including key roles in Asia Cup qualifiers.
Sanath Jayasuriya holds third place on the list with a 39-year-345-day-old fifty against West Indies in 2009. Kaleem’s ageless brilliance underscores the depth of associate nation talent, proving experience trumps youth in high-stakes cricket.