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On This Day: October 4, 1996 - Shahid Afridi stuns the world of cricket with a 37-ball ODI century

The worst thing to ever happen to Afridi - that hundred. Ruined what could have been a proper player, and never was able to live up to the expectations that shot up after.

Not to mention that it spawned a generation of mindless hacks hoping to become the next Afridi.
 
LegCutter said:
The worst thing to ever happen to Afridi - that hundred. Ruined what could have been a proper player, and never was able to live up to the expectations that shot up after.

Not to mention that it spawned a generation of mindless hacks hoping to become the next Afridi.
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This is spot on. I find it incredible that Pakistan used to be a team that could produce the likes of Miandad and Saeed Anwar, only to be reduced to their current team who have just a class spinner in their ranks, with very little batting (or even bowling) talent. Sure all of this can't be squarely blamed on Afridi, but his mentality has triumphed the cricketing alleys of the nation it seems.
 
I'd want him up the order but, Jamshed is pretty good at number 3...
Instead of Kamran coming in at 4...Send Afridi, then Umar with Kamran, Razzaq and Malik to hit out at the end.
 
That was simply murderous stuff!!
Stunning!!

1996
The fastest hundred in one-day history. Promoted to pinch-hit at No. 3 in his first ODI innings, Shahid Afridi savaged Sri Lanka in the KCA Centenary Tournament match in Nairobi. He took only 37 balls to reach three figures, comfortably beating Sanath Jayasuriya's existing record of 48. And that wasn't the only record to go: Afridi hit 11 sixes (equalling Jayasuriya's ODI record); the 28 runs he took off one over from Jayasuriya was then a record for batsmen not called Jayasuriya
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azrnUEVRTeM
 
He usually does well against SL and most of his best performances have come against them:

100 off 37 balls.
75 and 5-35.
50* in the T20 final

Hoping I can add more to that list tomorrow.
 
Little did we know that that day would unfortunately lead to 16 years of mediocrity, umpteen retirements, hungry ball biting and a severe seniority complex.

Players like Akram, Younis, Miandad, Mushtaq and the King (respect) himself have had to share the limelight with a mediocre cricketer (at best). That is a travesty.
 
Keith said:
Little did we know that that day would unfortunately lead to 16 years of mediocrity, umpteen retirements, hungry ball biting and a severe seniority complex.

Players like Akram, Younis, Miandad, Mushtaq and the King (respect) himself have had to share the limelight with a mediocre cricketer (at best). That is a travesty.
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At least he is miles better than the chokers whom had not won a single title since 1992.
 
Keith said:
Little did we know that that day would unfortunately lead to 16 years of mediocrity, umpteen retirements, hungry ball biting and a severe seniority complex.

Players like Akram, Younis, Miandad, Mushtaq and the King (respect) himself have had to share the limelight with a mediocre cricketer (at best). That is a travesty.
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He will be very proud of the career that he has had, the amount of money and fans he has made out of this game. Not many people get this opportunity but he made the most of it. One can go on and on about his mediocrity, waste of talent etc but he has played for 16 years and could potentially play for a few more.

How many players get to play at the highest stage ie 18 years for their country? Not many
 
NJamal said:
At least he is miles better than the chokers whom had not won a single title since 1992.
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An expected childish remark! Is that the best you can do? Cummon, do better man!!! If I wanted get petty I can say that we won a Champions Trophy but who cares? I certainly do not!!!!

I will say it again it is a travesty that TRULY GREAT PLAYERS, like those mentioned in my previous post (but not limited to them only), have to be mentioned in the same breathe as Afridi is. IT IS A TRAVESTY.
 
Savak said:
He will be very proud of the career that he has had, the amount of money and fans he has made out of this game. Not many people get this opportunity but he made the most of it. One can go on and on about his mediocrity, waste of talent etc but he has played for 16 years and could potentially play for a few more.

How many players get to play at the highest stage ie 18 years for their country? Not many
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He should be proud that he played for his country (career) and rightfully so. Many, if not all, are. He is popular, great. He is not a great cricketer though.

But again, he does not come close to the likes of the true Pakistani cricketing greats.

Choose me the best Pakistani XI (tests) of all time. Will he be in it?
As much as some members would not like to admit it, the litmus test of any great cricketer is determined by his test career.
 
There has always been a sense of dramatic destiny in the Afridi story. I won't be surprised in the least if he repeats his dose after 20 years. Go lala! :sachin
 
Keith said:
Little did we know that that day would unfortunately lead to 16 years of mediocrity, umpteen retirements, hungry ball biting and a severe seniority complex.

Players like Akram, Younis, Miandad, Mushtaq and the King (respect) himself have had to share the limelight with a mediocre cricketer (at best). That is a travesty.
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Couldn't agree more. He is the most over rated player in cricket.
 
Cricket watchers have become more and more impatient. That's why Afridi is such a popular player. Everyone likes explosiveness. Unfortunately for Pakistan explosiveness without responsibility will give you one good performance every now and again. Is he an all time great? Of course not. Was he marginally entertaining now and again, yea. I'd rather have a batsman pace his innings and make a 100 than have him make a quick 30 of 15 balls and then give his wicket away. That day Afridi built himself a fanbase that would be too demanding, and he's been under pressure ever since, trying to emulate that innings every time, rather than work on his technique.
 
Freakish effort and he did it against some top quality bowlers. No wonder we haven't seen a repeat of it in 16 years. Will be nice if he can come up with another match winning performance, Sri Lanka has been unfortunate to be at the receiving end against Afridi many times. Can happen again. :afridi
 
It was a national disaster day.

Nation has been paying the price of that 37 ball century for last 16 years, which ruined our generations.
 
An entire career build on that one innings! People hoping for him to repeat that for past 16 years.
 
Hopefully his final match being against Sri Lanka. And the circle being complete. One can hope.
 
And on this day Pakistan Will celebrate departe of this useless brainless player amen
 
Here lies Shahid Khan Afridi

4th October 1996 - 4th October 2012

100(37) - 0(1)

May he stay retired for Good
 
Safar55 said:
Here lies Shahid Khan Afridi

4th October 1996 - 4th October 2012

100(37) - 0(1)

May he stay retired for Good
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How amazing would it have been for the future of Pakistan cricket back in 1996 if the 0(1) came in that match.
 
Yes afridi will retire for a zillionth time and make a come back after a few matches after his pocket money is over....
 
Savak said:
.

How many players get to play at the highest stage ie 18 years for their country? Not many
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I don't think any other team will allow some one to play for 18 years if he plays like Afridi.
 
afridi-eyesclosed-shot-meme-generator-the-shahid-afridi-blind-shot-103872.jpg
 
Whole nation is still paying the price for the tragedy of Oct 4 1996.

The national flags should be down on Oct 4.
 
Re: 4th October 1996......the story begins (video added see post 41)

Zaid in an Afridi thread. Wow.
 
Mamoon_ said:
What if Zaid is Afridi himself. That would be awesome.
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A person with the highest level of insecurity, who gave photo shots as bribe to boost his dying image on public forum is going to be so critical on himself? Come on dude, I used to think you are very smart :)
 
Control. He missed it in his career. When he plays like a mature batsmen ( very very very very rare) he looks so good but man did he not fulfill his talent.
 
His best ODI innings has to be that hundred against SL in the 2010 Asia Cup. Played like a proper batsmen there, it was a shame it couldn't be in a winning game as the other spoilt it. :butt :kami :asif
 
^^^

Absolutely , rare to see :afridi bat with sense.

I wonder if he had batted with little more sense , he would have scored 12 - 13 K runs easily.
 
He had his highs and lows. He did win us one T20 trophy, and performed tremendously in 2 other T20 cups and the 2011 WC.
But he will always remain the luckiest player to play for Pakistan, to play for so long and so many LOIs. I was shocked when they said that this year's Champions Trophy was his first exclusion from an ICC event since 1999 WC. He was mediocre at best before 2006.
 
Fastest century in his first ODI innings against the WC (Murali-Vaas) away from home and, in Test cricket, in his first match, hit a four facing his first delivery (off McGrath!) and took a 5-fer... if only he had a brain. :afridi
 
On this day 1996 Shahid Afridi hit eleven 6s & six 4s to reach a century off 37 balls in his 1st ODI innings #Cricket
 
Legendary knock.

Frankly i have already forgotten how many deliveries Corey or ABD took to break the record but the 37 ball is stuck in my memory for ever. Just like Tendulkar's first double hundred and Anwar's 194 and Lara's original 375 will always stay.
 
What a legend! Played international cricket for two decades after that. Still playing T20s as a matter of fact.

Afridi is the best example to show how stats are misleading. The beast is above petty things such as numbers :afridi
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">20 years ago a remarkable innings from Shahid Afridi in only his 2nd ODI:<br>102 Runs<br>40 balls faced<br>11 sixes<br>6 fours<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/783201689180467201">October 4, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Last edited:
Best ever ODI inning!

If you take the year it was scored and the way it changed the LOI batting forever into consideration.

:sa
 
one of the worst thing ever happend to pak cricket...our downfall started right from there,,,,,,we were unable to find technichally correct batsma after that..if misbah wasnt there or cricket would have been in shatters now..
 
The day that changed ODI batting and cricket forever. ODI batting was never the same afterwards.

Phenomenal innings by Lala.
 
Exactly twenty years after THAT knock. What a performance that was Lala. Explosive madness! It took 17/18 years for that record to be broken . That just shows what a massive impact this guy had on cricket. Can we celebrate Oct 4 as Lala day? :afridi
 
I hate to say it but we had live with the curse of Afridi for 20 years because of this record.
 
DRsohail said:
one of the worst thing ever happend to pak cricket...our downfall started right from there,,,,,,we were unable to find technichally correct batsma after that..if misbah wasnt there or cricket would have been in shatters now..
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Agreed.
 
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