Pakistan opening batsman Shahid Afridi lashed a 45-ball century to lift his team to victory over India in the fifth one-dayer on Friday and vindicate his do-or-die approach to the game.
The 25-year-old tied the second fastest one-day innings of West Indies Brian Lara against Bangladesh in 1999.
Afridi destroyed India's bowling with a 46-ball 102 as Pakistan won by five wickets, reaching 252 for five with 7.5 overs to spare in reply to India's 248 for six.
He also holds the record for the fastest one-day hundred, off 37 balls against Sri Lanka in 1997. It was his fourth one-day hundred.
"We saw India struggle early in their innings, so it was very important to get runs at the top of the order," he said. "I got the opportunity and I grabbed my chance."
FREQUENT FAILURES
Afridi said he had no plans to curb his all-out aggression despite frequent failures.
"My game is such that I either succeed or fail," he told reporters. "But I always hope to do something which is useful to the team at the start of the innings.
| |||||||||||
"I always want to play my way, but my captain's confidence in me was very crucial after I struggled with bat and ball earlier in this series."
Afridi said records are far from his mind when he bats.
"Records just happen," he said. "Nobody goes in thinking about any record, but I went in with a positive mind, the way my captain instructed me."
Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq was pleased with his team after clinching a 3-2 lead ahead of Sunday's final game in New Delhi.
"It was not really easy making 250 on this pitch, but Afridi made it totally one-sided," he said.
Inzamam praised the entire team after rallying from 2-0 down in the series.
"Cricket is a team game. No individual can just say he can win it on his own," he said. "We were two down. We bounced back only because of team spirit and self belief."
Paceman Naved Rana had taken three early wickets to undermine the Indian innings after the hosts chose to bat first.
More from rediff