OTD: Shahid Afridi announces his arrival with fastest ODI hundred

On October 4, 1996 legendary Pakistan all rounder Shahid Afridi announced his arrival in international cricket as he slammed the then fastest ODI hundred against Sri Lanka in Nairobi off just 37 balls. After not getting a chance to bat in his debut match against Kenya two days back despite Pakistan losing six wickets, Afridi immediately made his presence felt as he was promoted up the order by captain Saeed Anwar.
After being put in to bat first, Pakistan got off to a good start as openers Anwar and Sleem Elahi (23 off 34) added 60 runs for the first wicket. Their partnership was broken by Kumar Dharmasena who dismissed Elahi. However, within a few minutes of his dismissal, Sri Lanka were made to re-evaluate whether it actually helped the team as a 16-year-old youngster named Shahid Afridi unleashed his wrath on their bowlers.
The swashbuckling batter brought the packed stadium to the edge of their seats as crowd were left gasping seeing his monstrous sixes hit the stadium roof one after the other. Sanath Jayasuriya, Muthiah Muralidaran, Kumar Dharmasena were all taken to the cleaners as Afridi marked his arrival in international cricket in style.
Afridi registered joint most sixes in an ODI innings
He reached his hundred off just 37 balls breaking Jayasuriya’s record of 48 balls registered just six months back. Afridi clobbered 11 sixes in his innings and levelled with Jayasuriya for then-highest maximums in a single innings in the 50-over format.
Afridi whacked Jayasuriya for 28 runs in an over and also registered the second most runs scored in a single over in ODIs. The youngster was finally dismissed by Sajeewa de Silva for 102 off 40 balls with six fours and 11 sixes. Courtesy of his innings, Pakistan posted a massive score of 371/9. Afridi also picked 1/43 with the ball helping Pakistan win the match by 82 runs and was adjudged Player of the Match.
His record for the fastest hundred stood for over 17 years until surpassed by New Zealand’s Corey Anderson who achieved the milestone in 36 balls on January 1, 2014.