Playing his debut knock, he took the Sri Lankan bowlers to the cleaners as he smashed a ton off 37 balls.
Former Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi made a memorable entrance onto the international cricket scene, establishing himself as one of the most explosive batsmen in the game's history. Afridi's international debut came in 1996 against Kenya, where he did not have the opportunity to bat. However, in the following match against Sri Lanka, Afridi made history by scoring the fastest century at that time, achieving the feat in just 37 balls.
While Afridi's remarkable innings is well-known, what is less commonly known is that he accomplished this record-breaking performance using Sachin Tendulkar's bat. In a YouTube video showcasing his home, Afridi shared the story of how former teammate Waqar Younis presented him with Tendulkar's bat just before he was informed that he would be batting at number three for the Pakistani team.
"I have safely kept the bat with which I played my first innings. The bat created history. It's was Sachin's bat and he is one of my favourite players and I created a world record from his bat. And I am thankful to Waqar Younis for the bat as he was the one who gave it to me when I was practicing before the match. He asked me to play the game with that bat," Afridi said.
Batting at number three, Afridi showcased his exceptional talent by scoring a century off just 37 balls, ultimately reaching 102 runs in just 40 balls. His remarkable performance was further highlighted by his partnership with opener Saeed Anwar, as they collectively contributed 126 runs for the second wicket. Anwar also displayed his prowess by scoring 115 runs off 120 balls.
Reflecting on his outstanding achievement, Afridi attributed his success to the bat that had become a cherished companion throughout his career.
"The bat played a major role in the making of Shahid Afridi. It's very special for me. In between, I tried to play with it later on but then decided to preserve it," he added.
For two decades, Shahid Afridi held the record for the fastest century in One Day International (ODI) cricket until it was surpassed by New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson in 2014. Anderson achieved this feat against the West Indies, reaching his century in just 34 balls.
The following year, during the West Indies' tour of South Africa, the legendary South African batsman AB de Villiers broke Anderson's record by scoring a century in just 31 balls. De Villiers went on to score 149 runs off only 44 balls, solidifying his place in history with the fastest ODI century to date.
Also read| Praveen Kumar scripts history, breaks Asian record to win gold in men's high jump at Paris Paralympics
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 "This legendary cricketer scored a 37-ball 100 in his debut innings using Sachin Tendulkar's bat")
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