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ODI world cup 2023 Cricket

'History create kr diya bhai ne' - Fans react as Afghanistan's first World Cup centurion Ibrahim Zadran helps team post highest total vs Australia

Australia needs to complete a record run chase if they are to avoid embarrassment. Their highest-ever successful chase in the premier 50-over tournament is 287.

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Mathew K
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Ibrahim Zadran (Source: Twitter)

Ibrahim Zadran (Source: Twitter)

Ibrahim Zadran scripted history at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai as he became the first Afghanistan player to score a century in the ODI World Cup. The opening batter smashed 129 runs off 143 balls to help his team set a highly competitive target of 291-5 against five-time champions Australia on Tuesday. 

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This is Afghanistan's highest-ever score in a World Cup and Australia needs to complete a record run chase if they are to avoid embarrassment. Australia's highest-ever successful chase in the premier 50-over tournament is 287. A win would guarantee the Aussies a birth in the semis, while Afghanistan would edge closer to the knockouts if they could pull off another upset in the tournament. 

After electing to bat first, the Afghanistan openers made a slow but steady start to their innings. Rahmanullah Gurbaz departed in the eighth over but Zadran was involved in partnerships right through. The right-hander added 80-plus runs for the second wicket with Rahmat Shah and forged brief partnerships with the remaining players. 

Zadran became the fourth youngest player (21y 330d) to score an ODI World Cup century. Bangladesh's Mohammad Ashraful (20y 282d), India great Sachin Tendulkar (21y 138d) and England's David Gower (21y 309d) are the first three players on this list. Notably, Zardran also holds the third-highest WC score by an Afghan player (87 vs PAK, Chennai, 2023). Samiullah Shinwari’s 96 vs Scotland in 2015 is second. 

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Speaking after the first innings, Zadran said: “Feeling very good to become the first Afghan player to score a 100 against in World Cups. I want to score many more hundreds. I worked very hard for this tournament. Against Pakistan, I missed my ton, so I wanted to make it up in this game. I was feeling like I’d get a hundred in the next 3 matches. I had a good chat with Sachin Tendulkar yesterday, he shared a lot of his experiences that I can’t express. I’m very thankful to him for sharing his experiences and giving me a lot of confidence.”

All seven players of Afghanistan contributed their part in today's game. Effective cameos from Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai in the end provided the much-needed boost as Afghanistan added 96 runs in the last 10 overs. 

Here's how fans reacted to Ibrahim Zadran's sensational century against Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup:

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