AUS vs AFG: Ibrahim Zadran thanks Sachin Tendulkar after creating history at the Wankhede

Looks like the aura and the skill of Sachin Tendulkar have rubbed off on the Afghanistan batters who have once again revealed just how formidable they are on the global stage. 

For the team opener Ibrahim Zadran, in particular, the experience of spending quality time with the Little Master has translated into one of the best knocks of the World Cup 2023 so far. More importantly, it occurred during Afghanistan's hunt for that glorious place in the semis as they took on a scratchy Australia at Mumbai's Wankhede. And in that very pursuit, Ibrahim Zadran became the first-ever batsman from Afghanistan to score a century in a World Cup.

"I had a good chat with Sachin Tendulkar yesterday. He shared so much about the experience he gained over his 24-year career that I cannot express, and that's the way I played today. I am thankful to him for sharing all the experiences and giving me confidence," he said during the innings break.

Also Read: World Cup 2023: Ajay Jadeja trends on social media after Afghanistan stun Babar Azam's Pakistan 

Sachin Tendulkar, of course, was a dutiful host when he visited the Afghans during their session on Monday, November 6. The legend and 2011 World Cup winner was spotted interacting with all the key players and also presenting a memento to Mohammad Nabi, before spending some time with the team mentor Ajay Jadeja and head coach Jonathan Trott. Just as the net sessions began, Tendulkar would converse with different players about batting stances, field settings and other aspects of the game, making it a most memorable evening for the whole of the Afghanistan cricket team.

Also Read: Throwback: When a young Virat Kohli watched Sachin Tendulkar score 49th ton from the dugout 

Led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan has put on a great show thus far at the World Cup 2023 with four super impressive wins. The team sprung its first surprise when they got past Jos Buttler's England in Delhi and followed it up with another excellent performance against Pakistan on October 23 wherein they chased down a stiff 282 with very little fuss. Ibrahim Zadran, again, stood out as the batter with a crafty 87 that was well supported by Rahmat Shah and Rahmanullah Gurbaz's knocks of 77 (not out) and 65 each.

Australia, on the other hand, are yet to reveal their old winning shades and despite a solid team on paper, they have been somewhat subpar by their own standards. Still, with five wins from seven games, Pat Cummins & co. are looking good for that semi-final berth which could, perhaps, reinvigorate them.

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