Abu Dhabi: While it is common knowledge that Pakistan's Shahid Afridi holds the record for a 37-ball one-day century, not many know that it came off the blade of Sachin Tendulkar's bat.
Speaking exclusively to Gulf News yesterday, Afridi said that his 37-ball hundred against Sri Lanka in Nairobi, in his very first one-day innings, came off the bat of the modern day's greatest batsman.
"I had just got into the Pakistan team and during nets in Nairobi 'Wicky Bhai' [Waqar Younis] gave me a bat and said, play with this and see. It is Sachin's bat," said the charismatic Pakistan all-rounder, here playing the Chapal Cup series against Australia.
"I tried it out it; it felt good and played with it in my first ever one-dayer. I scored that innings of 100 in 37 balls with the same bat," said Afridi, who was 16 years and 217 days when he entered the record books on October 4, 1996. Afridi, who is one of the most popular players among the Pakistani stars, had belted 11 sixes and six fours in that 37-ball innings which is still the world record for being the fastest ODI century.
Afridi went on to explain how Sachin's bat had landed with Younis.
"It was a great honour for me to play with Sachin's bat for he was a great player. Sachin had given the bat to 'Wicky Bhai' and had asked him to get a similar bat made in Sialkot for him [Sachin]," Afridi said.
"Of course I have also got out on zero with that bat. Now it is with me and sometime back people told me to auction it but I still have kept it with me," said Afridi.
"It will always be one of my treasured possessions as I used it in my very first one-day match playing for my country and also for hitting a world record," said Afridi, feared by bowlers all over the world for his big hitting.
Your comments
Afridi is my favourite player. I watch Afridi's matches with interest. The hitting of Shahid Afridi upsets every bowler.
Qurban Ali Magsi
Hyderabad,Pakistan
Posted: April 30, 2009, 15:55
