"A star in making" - Fans erupt as Ibrahim Zadran becomes first Afghan centurion in World Cup history with 129*-run knock vs Australia

Ibrahim Zadran scripted history with a gutsy century against Australia during Afghanistan's 2023 World Cup match against Australia at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, November 7.

With his stellar unbeaten knock of 129 runs, Zadran became the first-ever Afghan batter to hit a century in World Cups. The right-handed batter delivered a sensational batting performance for his team against a formidable Australian bowling attack.

Zadran received widespread appreciation on social media for his incredible batting exploits. Here are some of the top reactions.

Ibrahim Zadran came up with a well-constructed innings, where he played the anchor's role during the middle-overs, and upped the ante towards the back end of the innings.

It is worth mentioning that Zadran formed a stunning 58*-run stand in just 28 balls for the sixth wicket alongside Rashid Khan. The partnership helped Afghanistan register an impressive 291-run total, their highest total in a World Cup match.

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"I’m very thankful to him for sharing his experiences and giving me a lot of confidence" - Ibrahim Zadran on his chat with Sachin Tendulkar

Ibrahim Zadran expressed his delight at being the first Afghan centurion in World Cup history. He also mentioned that he aims to score many more hundreds for his country.

The 21-year-old revealed that he had a chat with Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, which gave him a lot of confidence ahead of the game against Australia. Speaking in a mid-innings interview, he said:

"Feeling very good to become the first Afghan player to score a 100 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 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." he added.

A win over Australia would solidify Afghanistan's claim to a semi-final spot. They are currently placed sixth in the points table with four wins from seven matches.