Cricket birthday records

Cricket records tied to a player's birthday can be quite intriguing. Here are a few bizarre and interesting ones:

1. Sachin Tendulkar's Century on His Birthday

The legendary Indian batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, has the remarkable record of scoring a century in a One Day International (ODI) match on his 24th birthday. He made 110 runs against Australia in 1998. It's a rare and special achievement to score a century on one's birthday.

2. Shahid Afridi's Fastest Century

On February 17, 2012, Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi celebrated his birthday in style by smashing the fastest century in ODIs at that time. He reached his century in just 37 balls against India.

3. Wasim Akram's 4 Wickets in 4 Balls

The great Pakistani fast bowler, Wasim Akram, once took an incredible 4 wickets in 4 balls in an ODI against the West Indies on June 5, 1989, which happened to be his 23rd birthday. This is a rare and memorable feat in cricket history.

4. Highest Test Score on Birthday

In 1979, England's Graham Gooch scored a magnificent 123 runs in a Test match against India on his 26th birthday. This remains one of the highest Test scores by a player on their birthday.

5. Birthday Hat-Trick

On March 17, 2000, West Indian fast bowler Courtney Walsh celebrated his 38th birthday by taking a hat-trick against South Africa in an ODI. It was an exceptional birthday gift to himself.

These records show that sometimes, cricketing legends have special moments and performances on their birthdays, making those days even more memorable in the world of cricket.