Afghanistan allrounder Mohamamad Nabi produced his career-best performance with the bat during the series opening ODI against Sri Lank on Friday. Nabi peeled off his second ODI century to revive a chase that looked done and dusted when Afghanistan were reduced to 55/5 chasing 381 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
Also Read: ‘While MS Dhoni Was Captain, My Eye Was on Virat Kohli’
Nabi forged a massive alliance with fellow allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai with the pair’s double-century stand helping Afghanistan finish at 339/6.
Nabi made 136 off 130, an innings featuring 15 fours and three sixes.
Omarzai was the top-scorer for Afghanistan hitting an unbeaten 149 off 115 with the help of 13 fours and six sixes.
At 39 years and 39 days, Nabi thus became the sixth oldest centurion in ODI history surpassing batting legend Sachin Tendulkar in the list.
Tendulkar famously scored his 100th and final century of his scarcely believable international career aged 38 years and 327 days during an ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur back in March 2012.
10 oldest centurions in ODI history (till February 9, 2023)
Nabi and Omarzai stitched a mammoth partnership of 242 runs which is the highest for the sixth wicket by an Afghan pair in ODIs with the duo breaking the previous record of 164 set by Asghar Afghan and Samiullah Shinwari.
Before Afghanistan’s resurgence, the contest belonged to Sri Lankan Pathum Nissanka as he created history by becoming the first male player from his country to hit an ODI double-century.
Opening the innings, Nissanka struck a scintillating 210 not out off just 139 deliveries. He carted 20 fours and eight sixes during his memorable innings with Sri Lanka racking up 381/3 in 50 overs.
Nissanka broke the record for the most runs scored in boundaries by a Sri Lankan in an ODI innings. He scored 128 runs through fours and sixes alone bettering the previous tally of 110 set by the legendary Sanath Jayasuriya who was present at the venue.
Comments
0 comment