In a momentous encounter at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, young Afghan sensation Ibrahim Zadran etched his name in cricketing history, becoming the first Afghanistan player to score a century in an ODI World Cup match.
Zadran’s extraordinary feat not only secured him a place in the annals of cricketing history but also propelled him ahead of legends Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar, making him the fourth youngest batter to record an ODI World Cup century.
This landmark achievement marked Zadran’s fifth ODI century, and its timing could not have been more crucial for his team. At just 21 years and 330 days old, Zadran secured his maiden World Cup century, surpassing the previous records held by cricketing icons Virat Kohli (22 years and 106 days) and Sachin Tendulkar (22 years and 300 days).
However, Zadran’s stellar innings was ultimately overshadowed by Glenn Maxwell’s astonishing double century, a Herculean effort that singlehandedly guided Australia to victory after they were reduced to a precarious 91-7 by the spirited Afghanistan bowlers.
While Zadran’s century marks a significant milestone, it is worth noting that the youngest batter to achieve an ODI World Cup century remains Ireland’s Paul Stirling, who accomplished this feat at just 20 years and 196 days during the 2011 edition of the tournament against the Netherlands.
Furthermore, Zadran’s achievement places him as the fourth youngest batter to notch an ODI century against the five-time World Champions, Australia, surpassing the accomplished South African opener Quinton de Kock in this particular ranking. His unbeaten innings of 129 runs, coupled with a blistering 35 runs from a mere 17 balls, enabled Afghanistan to post a formidable total of 291/5 against Australia, marking their highest-ever World Cup score.
The 21-year-old reached his century in 131 deliveries, including seven boundary strikes. This milestone surpasses the previous highest individual score for Afghanistan in the World Cup, set at 96 by Samiullah Shinwari against Scotland in Dunedin during the 2015 edition.
Throughout the game, Zadran played a pivotal role in three crucial half-century partnerships, contributing 83 runs for the second wicket with Rahmat Shah (30), 52 runs for the third wicket alongside skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (26), and a crucial 58-run partnership with Rashid Khan towards the end, ultimately enabling Afghanistan to secure a highly competitive total.
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