MUMBAI: Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga does not consider himself to be a “relaxed man” after Shahid Afridi’s World record of fastest century against his Sri Lankan team in Kenya in 1997 was broken by a New Zealander against West Indies on New Year Day.
“I was neither worried then and nor relieved now also. My only disappointment then was that we had lost the match”, he said over telephone from Sri Lanka some 24 hours after the new record.
Afridi played well and deserved full credit for his innings. Records are made and broken. Why one should worry about it?” he asked.
Afridi wanted his record to be intact till his retirement.
At least one Indian had watched Afridi’s innings from close.
“He was only 16 then and guts and determination showed by the Pakistan batsman was extra ordinary”, recalls S. K. Bansal, who officiated as a third umpire in the match.
Speaking exclusively from Delhi on Thursday morning, he added, “Afridi’s innings on that day was well appreciated by on field umpires and entire Sri Lanka team.His one of the sixer was hit single handedly”.
“Interesingly, the Sri Lankan team had travelled to Kenya after winning the World Cup and obviously if the record of fastest hundred was made agaibst the World Champion, they were more disappointed”.
“I have not watched Anderson game but I don’t know whether I would ever be able to watch such a spectacular century in my life”, the 74-year old Bansal added.
“I wonder if the new batsman could score runs so freely, why our Sehwag or Kohli have not scored century so fast”, the former ICC umpire signed off.