In a thrilling second match of the ongoing three-match ODI series between Afghanistan and Bangladesh, the Afghan team delivered a historic performance, surpassing a record held by Indian legends Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. The match, held in Chattogram, saw Afghanistan set an imposing total of 331 runs, marking their highest ever total in an away ODI. Previously, Afghanistan had scored 313 runs against Sri Lanka in 2022, but they have now broken their own record in just one year.
The opening partnership between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran played a pivotal role in Afghanistan’s achievement, as they both scored centuries and put together a remarkable partnership of 256 runs for the first wicket. This partnership not only propelled Afghanistan to a massive total but also surpassed the 25-year-old record of Tendulkar and Ganguly, who had a partnership of 252 runs against Sri Lanka in 1998.
Afghanistan’s dominance in the series is evident as they currently lead 1-0, having won the first match against Bangladesh by 17 runs through the Duckworth-Lewis method. In the Test match prior to the ODI series, Bangladesh had set a record of 546 runs against Afghanistan. However, with their second consecutive victory in the ODI series, Afghanistan has the opportunity to claim the series.
The partnership between Gurbaz and Zadran not only broke the Tendulkar-Ganguly record but also secured a place in the top 10 opening partnerships in ODI history. The highest opening partnership record is held by West Indies’ John Campbell and Shai Hope, who scored 365 runs against Ireland in 2019. Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman of Pakistan are in second place with a partnership of 304 runs against Zimbabwe in 2018.
Tendulkar and Ganguly’s partnership, which held the ninth position in the list, was a partnership of 258 runs against Kenya in 2001. With their outstanding performance, Gurbaz and Zadran have now surpassed the Indian duo and moved up in the rankings.