In the first of three one-day internationals on Friday, Afghanistan’s opener Ibrahim Zadran shone with a run-a-ball 98 as his team defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets.
[File Photo: ICC]
In the first match of three, one-day internationals(ODI) on Friday, Afghanistan’s opener Ibrahim Zadran shone with a run-a-ball 98 as his team defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets. After winning the toss and deciding to field first in Hambantota.
The most successful bowler for Sri Lanka on the day, Kasun Rajitha, who finished with 2-49 in 10 overs, dismissed the 21-year-old Zadran.
In just 35 balls, Zadran sped to his half-century and during his innings, he struck 11 fours and two sixes.
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Both of his sixes were against Matheesha Pathirana, a young pacer who recently gained notoriety for his spectacular efforts for the most recent IPL champions.
Zadran’s career thus far has been characterised by consistency, both domestically and internationally. In the Ghazi Amanullah Khan Regional One Day Tournament and afterwards in the Shpageeza Cricket League, the right-handed hitter made his List A debut six years ago. But his meteoric rise might be attributed to his outstanding performance in the 2018 U-19 World Cup in January 2017, where he finished as the team’s highest run-getter.
Even though Zadran had not played in this format in six months, he just kept up his excellent form. Zadran made his Afghanistan debut in 2019, but his remarkable run really began exactly one year prior, when the team flew to Zimbabwe for a series. In the second game, he hit an unbroken 121 before hammering 106 and a huge 162 on the November tour of Sri Lanka.
He was chosen for the one-off Test match against Bangladesh in 2019 and, en route to his 87 in the second innings at Chattogram, became one of the youngest players to achieve a fifty on debut. He got selected for ODIs and T20Is shortly after that. With Shahzad’s unexpected withdrawal from the game, Zadran solidified his position as the opener with his dependable performance in all formats, a peek of which was seen on Friday against Sri Lanka.
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