Ireland's Kevin O'Brien blazes brilliant hundred to glory

Ireland 329 for 7 (K O'Brien 113, Cusack 47, Swann 3-47) beat 
England 327 for 8 (Trott 92, Bell 81, Pietersen 59, Mooney 4-63) by three wickets

What a stunner from this Irish player made fastest hundred ever in WC

There are game changers up the order - Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum and Shane Watson, and there are some who come down the order to completely turn the fortunes of a team - Yusuf Pathan, Kieron Pollard and Abdul Razzaq. A fourth name can now be added to the current list of game changers down the order: 

Name: Kevin O'Brien 

What he did: Score 113 off just 63 balls 

Outcome: England humiliated by Ireland 

If milestones are spoken of and if you think the record for the fastest hundred in a World Cup game belongs to Matthew Hayden, you would be right only till yesterday. A certain Kevin O'Brien targeted the English bowlers in a late order blitz to register a hundred off just 50 balls, the fastest in World Cup history and also the 6th fastest in ODIs, and more importantly help Ireland pull off an upset over England. Just for your reference, below is a list of the fastest centuries in World Cup: 

113 (50) Kevin O'Brien, Ireland v England, Bangalore, 2nd March 2011 

101 (66) Matthew Hayden, Australia v South Africa, St Kitts 24th March 2007 

111 (67) John Davison, Canada v West Indies, Centurion 23rd February 2003 

175* (72) Kapil Dev, India v Zimbabwe, Tunbridge Wells 18th June 1983 

149 (72) Adam Gilchrist, Australia v Sri Lanka, Barbados 28th March 2007 

England, having posted a good total of 327/8 on board, were banked upon by experts as well as cricket followers to get over Ireland with ease. The experts predicted that it would be a good work-out for the English bowlers after the batsmen did their job and it seemed what they said was right as half the Irish side were back in the pavilion by the 25th over. This was the time when Kevin O'Brien took matters into his own hands. 

O'Brien could have well chosen to while away his time at the middle and crawl to a fifty plus score with the match ending as a lopsided affair. None would have blamed the fiery right-hander even if he had done that. But he chose to do the opposite. He blew the English attach into smithereens and was supported well by Alex Cusack with whom he put on a crucial 162-run stand as well as an important 33 by Mooney to power Ireland to an improbable win. 

Kevin O'Brien also mentioned the same during the post-match presentation. "It's probably the best innings I've ever played. I just hit the ball pretty well and got a bit of luck and things went my way. I just kept going and kept attacking. When we were 111/5 I said to myself we could have just pottered around and got 220 off 50 overs for eight or nine and the game would have been pretty boring to watch. But I just chanced my arm and said I was going to be as positive as I can and got a few away and didn't look back." 

With their next match against India, and in the same stadium, Ireland would be hoping for another upset, and considering the batting friendly Bangalore track and the lack of sting in India's bowling attack, another upset is well on the cards. India definitely need to be wary and would certainly be mulling on plans for the 'Just released, Box office favourite, Irish sensation' - Kevin O'Brien.