OTD | Shahid Afridi broke the record for the fastest hundred in one-day history in 1996

On this day in 1996 one of Pakistan’s most electrifying cricketers Shahid Afridi, etched his name into the record books with an unforgettable performance. In just his second One Day International (ODI), Afridi blasted a 37-ball century against Sri Lanka in Nairobi, setting the record for the fastest century in ODI history—a record that stood for 18 years.

Nicknamed “Boom Boom” for his aggressive style of play, Afridi’s achievement was a testament to his fearless batting approach. His record-breaking knock not only stunned Sri Lanka but also made him an instant global sensation. The record was eventually surpassed, first by New Zealand’s Corey Anderson with a 36-ball century in 2014, and then by South Africa’s AB de Villiers, who raised the bar with a 31-ball hundred in 2015.

Sachin Tendulkar’s role in Afridi’s knock!

What makes this feat even more special is the backstory involving one of cricket’s greatest legends, Sachin Tendulkar. Afridi revealed years later that he had used Tendulkar’s bat to score that remarkable century. “The bat created history,” Afridi said in a YouTube video in 2021. He explained that it was his teammate Waqar Younis who handed him Tendulkar’s bat before the game, and it turned out to be a stroke of destiny.

“I have safely kept the bat with which I played my first innings. The bat created history. It was Sachin’s bat and he is one of my favorite 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,” he had said in a YouTube video. 

Afridi’s whirlwind century, combined with the tale of using Tendulkar’s bat, has cemented this moment in cricket folklore. While records may be broken, the legacy of Shahid Afridi’s blistering knock in 1996 remains an unforgettable chapter in the sport’s history.

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