SL vs AFG, Ibrahim Zadran falls for 98: Key stats
Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran smashed his maiden fifty in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Hambantota. The young opener gave the visitors a delightful start to set them up for the 269 run-chase. Agonizingly, he fell short of his fourth ODI hundred and he has an envious record against SL in this format. Here we decode his stats.
A blazing knock from Ibrahim Zadran
Ibrahim looked solid in his approach and added a brilliant 146-run stand for the second wicket alongside Rahmat Shah. The visitors lost Ramanullah Gurbaz early, but Ibrahim went on to play his strokes. While Shah held the innings together, Zadran attacked the SL pacers and kept the scoreboard moving. He slammed 11 fours and two sixes, striking at 100.00.
Ibrahim completes 500 ODI runs
The young opener surpassed 500 runs (531) in ODI cricket in his ninth appearance as he boasts an average of 66.37 in this format. He became the 15th Afghan player to complete the landmark in ODI cricket. Versus the Lankans, Zadran has amassed 376 runs in four games at 94.00. He has two tons and one fifty, striking at 100.53.
Zadran becomes the joint-second-fastest to complete 500 ODI runs
Zadran has completed 500 runs in only nine matches, which makes him the joint-second-fastest batter to reach the landmark in ODI cricket. South Africa's Janneman Malan holds the record, having got to 500 runs in seven innings. He is followed by England's Dennis Amiss and Kevin Pietersen, Netherlands's Tom Cooper, Pakistan's Imam-ul-Haq, and Zadran (9 innings each).