AUS vs AFG: Crowd erupts as Ibrahim Zadran becomes 1st Afghan player to score 100 in World Cup history

Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai resounded with cheers as Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran scripted history by becoming the first player from his country to notch a century in World Cup matches. In Match 39 of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 against Australia, Zadran played a composed innings, showing resilience as he continued to hold the fort despite losing partners at regular intervals.

Zadran achieved his milestone with a sensible knock, notching his first-ever century against Australia. The moment was truly special, comprising seven boundaries and a six. Zadran embarked on a risky single to reach the coveted hundred, surviving the run-out attempt, which earned him hearty applause from both the team dug-out and the enthusiastic crowd.

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Fans flooded social media platforms with praise for the batter's remarkable innings, hoping he would pick up the pace as the match progressed towards the 50th over.

In this game, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first. After 45 overs, the Afghan batsmen managed to put 227 runs on the scoreboard, albeit having lost four wickets. Contributions came from Rahmanullah Gurbaz (21), Rahmat Shah (30), Hashmatullah Shahidi (26), and Azmatullah Omarzai (22), while Zadran stood strong at the crease. 

The Australian team saw wickets being shared among their bowlers, with Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Glenn Maxwell, and Adam Zampa each claiming one wicket.

Both teams entered the contest on winning streaks and were vying for a spot in the semifinals, which had already been secured by India and South Africa.