Riyaz Ponmanichi

Mohammed Azharuddin’s 108 against Kiwis at Vadora in 1988, the then fastest ODI hundred . One of the best ODI innings ever played. 

India was chasing 279, when Azhar walked in to bat , strangely at number 6 India were 133/5 ,Chasing 279 was very unlikely in those days , when you are 5 down and more than half of the overs are bowled. His captain might have doubted Azhar’s ability to score quick runs while chasing huge targets, hence was sent in at 6 . But that day Azhar proved his skipper terribly wrong , his transformation was simply electrifying, he had produced a whirlwind innings of 108 in just 62 balls with 10 boundaries and 3 huge sixes.  Azhar was very severe on Kiwis Spinners Chris Kuggeleijn, and  John Bracewell, he didn’t spare their pacers Chattfield and Snedden either. India cruised to victory more than two overs to spare. Azhar consider this performance as his one of the best hundred among his 29 international hundreds. Unfortunately the footage of that knock isn’t available even though the contest was aired live on Doordarshan as the transmission was lost when India batted