Top 5 youngest players to score a century in one-day cricket
1. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan), 1996 – 16 years, 217 days
A young but matured Afridi along with Saeed Anwar dismantled the Sri Lankan bowling attack with their 126-run partnership. Surprisingly, it was Afridi who dominated far more than Anwar in the stand. He scored a hundred off just 37 balls to also bag the record for the fastest hundred ever scored. He scored 6 boundaries and 11 sixes in his knock of 102 runs off 40 balls.
2. Usman Ghani (Afghanistan), 2014 – 17 years, 242 days
The Afghanistan opener played like a one-man army and smashed the Zimbabwean bowling attack around the park. Wickets on the other end kept on falling at regular intervals, but Ghani wouldn’t let the opposing bowlers take his wicket before he scored an incredible ton. His knock of 118 would carry Afghanistan to a fighting total of 256/7 after 50 overs.
3. Imran Nazir (Pakistan), 2000 – 18 years, 121 days
Pakistan bowlers did their job by restricting Zimbabwe to 204/7 after 50 overs. In reply, 18-year-old opening batter Nazir played a splendid knock to carry Pakistan on his shoulders. He formed great partnerships with both Inzamam-ul-Haq and Moin Khan to take the Men in Green over the line with rather ease. Nazir remained unbeaten on 105.
4. Saleem Elahi (Pakistan), 1995 – 18 years, 312 days
Chasing a decent total of 234 against Sri Lanka, Elahi who had made his international debut with the match, turned out to be the hero with his fabulous century. He also formed a brilliant opening stand of 156 runs with Aamer Sohail who also played a great knock of 77. Elahi would remain unbeaten on 102 and his 78-run stand with Ramiz Raja would take Pakistan home comfortably.
5. Saiteja Mukkamalla (USA), 2023 – 18 years, 355 days
Chasing a big total of 280 runs against UAE, the USA team was under pressure from the beginning of their innings. However, an 18-year-old Mukkamalla relieved his team of all the pressure by playing a spectacular knock. His unbeaten knock of 120 runs and a half-century from Monank Patel ensured that USA reached the target in 49 overs.
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