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Ibrahim Zadran, the opener (batsman) became the first Afghan batter to score a century in the World Cup when he hit three figures against Australia in a group-stage match at Wankhede Stadium. With a double off Josh Hazlewood in the 44th over, Zadran reached his first World Cup century in 131 deliveries.
Previously, Samiullah Shinwari’s 147-ball 96 against Scotland at the University Oval in Dunedin in the 2015 World Cup was the highest individual score by an Afghan batter in the quadrennial event. Intriguingly, Zadran’s 87 against Pakistan in Chennai during this World Cup is the tournament’s third-highest score by an Afghan batter..
Ibrahim Zadran Career
Zadran, who is 21 years and 330 days old, is the fourth youngest World Cup century scorer, trailing only Paul Sterling of Ireland, Ricky Ponting of Australia, and Avishka Fernando of Sri Lanka. Zadran demonstrated his abilities against a formidable Australian bowling lineup in a performance that combined aggression and finesse. Undaunted by the hostile bowling attack, he demonstrated incredible resilience and skill, hitting boundaries and sixes on a consistent basis to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Zadran’s century came at a critical time for the Afghanistan team, which was in desperate need of a significant partnership. His calm innings provided the foundation for their respectable total, instilling hope in an otherwise struggling team. The Afghan opening batsman has had an incredible World Cup 2023 run, writing history and reaching significant personal milestones.
Ibrahim Zadran recently became the fastest Afghanistan cricketer to reach 1,000 career runs in One-Day Internationals during a match against Pakistan in Chennai. Notably, he outpaced fellow opener and compatriot Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who reached this mark in 27 innings during the World Cup match against Bangladesh. Zadran, on the other hand, reached this remarkable milestone in just 24 innings, marking a watershed moment in his ODI career, which began in 2019 against the West Indies in Lucknow.
