Afghanistan batter Ismat Alam followed up a brilliant first-class season with a century on international debut on day four (January 5) of the New Year’s Test against Zimbabwe.
Having made his first-class debut in November 2022, Ismat’s next appearance in the format came nearly two years after, in the 2024 Ahmad Shah Abdail four-day tournament, Afghanistan’s premier domestic red-ball competition.
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He ended the tournament as the highest run-scorer with 723 runs from six matches at an average of 103.23, with the best of 263 not out. A 186-ball 111 from No.8 helped his side Pamir Legends beat Maiwand Champions in the final of the competition. That season, along with Ismat's overall first-class average of 92 from seven matches earned him a call-up to Afghanistan's squad for the tour of Zimbabwe.
Making his debut in the historic New Year’s Test in Bulawayo, the batting all-rounder repaid the selectors’ faith by scoring an 181-ball 101 from No.8, following a duck in the first innings.
𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐭! 💯
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) January 5, 2025
Ismat Alam puts on a remarkable batting effort as he converts his half-century on debut to a glorious Hundred in the ongoing test match against Zimbabwe. 👏#AfghanAtalan | #ZIMvAFG | #GloriousNationVictoriousTeam pic.twitter.com/V3Mgiff09B
This is the 11th time a batter has scored a century on debut from No.8 or below. The last one to do so was New Zealand wicketkeeper Tom Blundell against West Indies in 2017.
Having conceded an 86-run first innings lead, the tourists found themselves teetering at 136-6 after Blessing Muzarabani ran through the top order.
The debutant stitched a 132-run stand with senior batter Rahmat Shah (139) to arrest the slide. By the time Ismat was dismissed in the 110th over by Muzarabani, Afghanistan had already reached 356-9. The dismissal gave Muzarabani his sixth wicket of the innings. Afghanistan eventually set up a target of 278, and given the position they were in at one stage, they would take that with both hands.
Image credit: X/ACBofficials
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