Srinagar: Afghanistan new batting sensation Ibrahim Zadran smashed a match winning 98 run knock to help Afghanistan register emphatic win against hosts Sri Lanka in the first ODI at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota on Friday.
On his way Ibrahim Zadran, broke Indian batter Shubman Gill’s ODI record.
En route to his knock, Zadran, who was handed the Player of the Match award, became the second fastest batter to 500 ODI runs, having reached the feat in his ninth innings, with South Africa’s Janneman Malan still holding the record (7 innings). It is the joint-fastest by an Asian batter, equalling Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq and going past India’s best Shubman Gill (10 innings).
Having made his debut in 2019 for Afghanistan, Zadran’s magical run started in exactly a year back when the team had travelled to Zimbabwe for a series. He smashed an unbeaten 121 in the second game before smashing 106 and a colossal 162 in the tour of Sri Lanka in November.
On Friday, against the target of 269, Afghanistan lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz early in the chase, but Zadran single handedly inflicted an attack against Sri Lanka bowlers, especially against the 145-plus kmph deliveries from Pathirana as reached his half-century mark in just 35 balls.
Zadran was eventually denied a well-deserved century by Kasun Rajitha as he departed for 98, but Afghanistan by then were left with less than 100 runs to chase in 20 overs.