3 lesser known records held by Irfan Pathan

#3 Only Indian player to open the batting and bowling in the same match in all 3 formats of the game

Pakistan v India - ICC World Twenty20 2012: Super Eights Group 2

Apart from his bowling, Irfan was also extremely handy with the bat, prompting the Indian team management under the leadership of then-coach Greg Chappel to promote him as an opening batsman.

In the 2005 Delhi Test against Sri Lanka, Irfan was promoted to open the batting in India's second innings. He also opened the bowling in Sri Lanka's second innings, a match which India eventually went on to win by 188 runs. He repeated the feat again in the 2006 Mumbai Test match against England and in the 2008 Adelaide Test match against Australia.

In 2005 ODI series against South Africa at home, Irfan Pathan opened the batting and bowling in the 4th ODI at Kolkata. However, the move turned out to be a flop as Pathan was dismissed for a second-ball duck. He never opened the batting again in ODIs.

In the 2012 ICC World T20 match against Engalnd, Irfan Pathan became the first Indian to open the batting and bowling in T20Is. Irfan thus became the only Indian player to open the batting and bowling in the same match in all 3 formats of the game. Apart from Irfan Pathan, only Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez and Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan have achieved this feat.