On October 4, 1996, 16-year-old Shahid Afridi stunned the cricket world with a blistering 102 off just 37 balls against Sri Lanka in Nairobi, Kenya. This was Afridi’s first time batting in an international match. His innings set a new record for the fastest century in One Day Internationals (ODIs), breaking Sanath Jayasuriya’s previous record of a 48-ball century, which was set earlier that year.
Key Details of Afridi’s Innings:
Match: Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka, 4th match of the KCA Centenary Tournament.
Venue: Gymkhana Club Ground, Nairobi, Kenya.
Innings: Afridi came in at No. 3 and immediately made an impact.
Runs: 102 from 37 balls.
Boundaries: 11 sixes and 6 fours.
Strike Rate: Afridi scored at a strike rate of 275.67.
Partnership: Afridi shared a key 126-run partnership with Saeed Anwar, who also scored a century (115 off 120 balls), giving Pakistan a formidable total.
Afridi’s 11 sixes in that innings was also a record at the time for the most sixes hit in an ODI innings. His fearless and aggressive style captured the imagination of cricket fans and earned him the nickname “Boom Boom” Afridi.
This record stood for 17 years and 64 days before Corey Anderson of New Zealand surpassed it on January 1, 2014, by hitting a century off 36 balls against the West Indies.
The Impact:
Age: At just 16 years old, Afridi was playing only his second ODI.
Bat: Afridi famously used Sachin Tendulkar’s bat in that innings. Tendulkar had lent the bat to Waqar Younis, who passed it on to Afridi for this match.
Career-defining Moment: This innings helped define Afridi’s cricketing style — an aggressive, all-out attack approach that remained a hallmark of his career.
Though Afridi’s batting had its ups and downs over the years, this innings in 1996 remains one of the most iconic moments in ODI cricket, setting him on the path to becoming one of the most popular and unpredictable players in the sport.
