Rahmanullah Gurbaz Matches Virat Kohli's Record after Scoring Century against South Africa in second ODI

In New Delhi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz achieved his seventh ODI century during Afghanistan's match against South Africa, equaling Virat Kohli for the second-most hundreds before turning 23 years old.

Gurbaz scored his century off the 106th ball of his innings; this is his third-fastest ODI hundred for him, after he made two against Bangladesh in the past. A hundred by Gurbaz helped Afghanistan enforce a dominant position at the end of 40 overs, after opting to bat first and eventually post 218-3.

Gurbaz took four off the first 15 balls he had faced but did break free against Lungi Ngidi to hit his first boundary by charging down the pitch and launching a six over mid-off. He followed that up with a stylish cover drive for four just two balls later.

By the time Gurbaz completed his half-century, he had pulled the run rate significantly by then. He completed 50 off the 56th ball he faced. In the very next over, he lost the opening partner Riaz Hasan, ending their 87-run partnership in the 18th over of the innings.

The moment he brought up his 7th ODI hundred – @RGurbaz_21! #AfghanAtalan | #AFGvSA | #GloriousNationVictoriousTeam pic.twitter.com/S7e98ilU6V

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 20, 2024

When his partner got lost, the run rate Gurbaz wanted to accelerate was short of five. On 57 with the start of the 20th over, he strode into the 90s by the 27th over, taking sixes off Wiaan Mulder and debutant Nqabayomzi Peter out of it. South Africa did their best to stall the scoring but took him six overs more to reach a hundred.

It is Gurbaz’s seventh century of the twenty-first century and the first against South Africa. Besides, it is his second century this year at Sharjah. This young lad, just 22 years old, made it to the elite list of those who have made as many hundreds before they reached the age of 23.

The record for most ODI centuries before turning 23 is jointly held by Quinton de Kock and Sachin Tendulkar, who also achieved eight centuries each. Gurbaz now stands equal second with Virat Kohli, who reached seven hundreds in 69 innings. Gurbaz did the same number in just 42 innings. Babar Azam and Upul Tharanga had six centuries by this age.

While Gurbaz could equal the overall record with a century in the final ODI of the series against South Africa, surpassing it seems unlikely, as he will turn 23 on November 28 and Afghanistan has no further ODIs scheduled before then. theless, he is now Afghanistan’s leading century-scorer in ODIs.