Twenty-year-old Ibrahim scored his third century in only his eighth ODI, and his total of 333 ran past Afghanistan’s previous record of 131 not out, which had been set by Mohammad Shahzad.
On Wednesday, in their final ODI against Sri Lanka, Afghanistan’s opener Ibrahim Zadran hammered 162 to mark his team’s greatest individual total. The tourists finished with 313-8. After winning the first game of the three-game series, the tourists elected to bat first in Pallekele but quickly lost three wickets. In the first innings, Ibrahim scored the game-winning 106 runs, while the left-handed Najibullah Zadran contributed 77 to help rebuild and put Sri Lanka in a disadvantaged position.
This effort was the biggest fourth-wicket stand for Afghanistan, surpassing the 144 scored by Nawroz Mangal and Samiullah Shinwari against Scotland in 2013.
For Afghanistan, it was the highest score ever, surpassing Mohammad Shahzad’s 131 not out, and the third century in Ibrahim’s burgeoning ODI career at age 20.
From a sluggish 57-3, the partnership picked up the pace when Ibrahim achieved his fifty in the 25th over.
Najibullah reached fifty with a four off Dhananjaya de Silva, and the team hit a boundary in nearly every over that followed.
After smashing wrist spinner Wanindu Hasaranga for eight fours and a six, the southpaw was caught by captain Dasun Shanaka at mid-wicket.
Afghanistan continued to lose wickets, but Ibrahim bravely faced the bowlers, scoring 122 not out before being dismissed off the penultimate delivery.
Over the course of 138 balls, he scored 15 fours and 4 sixes.
To have any shot at qualifying for next year’s ODI World Cup in India without having to go through the qualifier tournament, Sri Lanka has to win by at least 314 runs in this series.
