Afridi used Sachin Tendulkar’s bat to score fastest hundred, reveals Azhar Mahmood
Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has revealed that Shahid Afridi used the bat of Sachin Tendulkar - which was given to him by Waqar Younis - when he hit a 37-ball ton against Sri Lanka in 1996. Afridi’s ton, which came in his first-ever innings, was the then-fastest ODI century of all time.
A 16-year-old Shahid Afridi shook world cricket in his first-ever innings as an international cricketer when he blasted a 37-ball ton against a Sri Lanka bowling attack that comprised Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan. Promoted to bat at No.3, Afridi, who was just 16 years of age at the time of playing the knock, struck what was then the fastest century in the game’s history. Afridi’s ton came off just 37 balls and his record stood for 18 years before New Zealand’s Corey Anderson broke the record in 2014.
Afridi’s 102 versus Sri Lanka is considered to be one of the biggest ‘freak knocks’ of all time but former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood, who was also a part of the Pakistan side in that game, revealed an interesting story behind it. Mahmood revealed that Afridi, in fact, batted with a willow of Sachin Tendulkar which the Little Master had gifted to Waqar Younis.
“Shahid Afridi had debuted in Nairobi in 1996 after the Sahara Cup, where I made my debut. So Mushi [Mushtaq Ahmed] got injured in that series and Shahid Afridi was touring with the Pakistan A team to West Indies and he replaced Mushi in that tournament,” Mahmood said on ‘The Greatest Rivalry’ podcast, reported Hindustan Times.
“In those days, the two Sri Lankan openers, Jayasuriya and wicketkeeper Kaluwitharana used to attack upfront. So, we thought we need someone who can bat at No.3. Afridi and I – Wasim said you guys go and try to slog [in the nets]. I was slogging sensibly and Afridi went against the spinners, murdering everyone in the nets.
“Next day, we got the game against Sri Lanka and they said he is batting at number three. I think Waqar got a bat from Sachin , he used the great Sachin’s bat and managed to get a hundred and after that, he became a batsman. Mainly he was a bowler who can hit the ball, but in the end, he had a wonderful career,” the all-rounder revealed.
Mahmood, who eventually moved to England and attained a British Passport, revealed that in the 2011 World Cup, Afridi used a delivery he’d learnt from the great Abdul Qadir to great effect - the in-drifter. Afridi led Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup and finished as the tournament’s joint-highest wicket-taker and while Mahmood expressed his disappointment in Pakistan losing to arch-rivals India in the semis, the 45-year-old lauded ‘Lala’s’ efforts and described him as a great asset to the side.
“Especially that World Cup, 2011, he led the side very well, he was in the best of his form, he was bowling really well. He learned a delivery from the great Abdul Qadir – the ball that drifts in and hits your pads. So that was a great World Cup [for him] and he was batting great as well. Overall, it was a great World Cup for Pakistan, unfortunately, we lost to India but Shahid Afridi was a great asset for Pakistan,” Mahmood added.