The Untold Story Behind How Sachin Tendulkar's Bat Helped Shahid Afridi To Score Then Fastest ODI Century

This article revisits the incident when Pakistan's Shahid Afridi smashed the fastest ODI century at that time with India's Sachin Tendulkar's bat against Sri Lanka.

In 1996, a young and relatively unknown Shahid Afridi set the cricketing world ablaze with a brutal 37-ball century against Sri Lanka in Nairobi. It wasn’t just the fastest century in ODI cricket at the time; it was an innings that announced Afridi as one of the game’s most fearless hitters of the game. But many don't know that the bat which helped create history was an unexpected owner: Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.

Afridi’s century, which redefined aggressive batting in ODIs at least in Pakistan cricket, will be remembered as one of cricket’s iconic moments. A few years later, Afridi in his autobiography 'Game Changer', revealed the unusual backstory behind his record-breaking knock.

#OnThisDay in 1996. The day Shahid Afridi smashed 11 sixes and took only 37 balls to reach a ODI century.

Afridi when speaking about this innings " when i'm not performing well with the bat i watch my 37 ball hundred on youtube" #Cricket pic.twitter.com/48hLfuKa26

— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) October 4, 2023

"There is an interesting Indian connection to my innings in that match,” Afridi wrote, recalling the incident how Sachin Tendulkar had given his favourite bat to Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis, asking him to take it to Sialkot, Pakistan’s sports manufacturing hub, to have a replica made. But instead of transporting it immediately, the Pakistan pacer gave it to rising sensation Afridi.

Shahid Afridi's feelings about this bat Shahid Khan Afridi scored the fastest century with this bat. Oh lala you beauty beautiful history of this bat 🏏@SAfridiOfficial @TEAM_AFRIDI pic.twitter.com/S7Mpx2B0CR

— ABDULLAH AB Official 10 🇵🇰 (@Abdullahab010) October 4, 2022

That century not only broke records but also raised the expectations from Afridi, who was primarily considered as a bowler in the Pakistan team. But after his performance, a team started expecting him to score some runs as well and that too on a high strike rate.

Afridi’s former teammate, Azhar Mahmood, had shared an inside look at the decision that put Afridi in that pivotal number-three batting position saying Pakistan captain Wasim Akram needed a counterattack and was experimenting with players in the nets. While others played cautiously; Afridi, however, "murdered" the spinners with powerful shots.

This is the scorecard when Shahid Afridi scored 37 ball 100. He scored 102 in 40 balls. If we take away his 11 six and 6 fours he scored 12 runs in 23 balls. Strike rate of 50.
That's the problem. Let's write an article.#Insight pic.twitter.com/Woza08sYx0

— Chayan Rastogi (@tweetchayan) January 14, 2019

Afridi’s record stood unbroken for 18 years until New Zealand’s Corey Anderson overtook it against West Indies in 2014. But the mythos surrounding Afridi’s innings, aided by the story of Tendulkar’s bat, has endured. The century became more than just a milestone; it redefined Afridi’s identity and marked the start of a swashbuckling career that entertained fans worldwide.