Cricket – Indian batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi yesterday became the youngest to hit a senior T20 century at 14 years and 32 days as he powered Rajasthan Royals’ successful chase against Gujarat Titans in the IPL.
Suryavanshi, a left-hand batsman who became the youngest IPL debutant on April 19, smashed 100 off 35 balls to pummel the opposition attack with seven fours and 11 sixes at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Suryavanshi went past the previous record, set by Vijay Zol of Maharashtra at 18 years and 118 days against Mumbai in an Indian domestic match in 2013.
Suryavanshi’s ton is the second fastest in the popular T20 tournament after Chris Gayle’s century in 30 balls for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2013.
The teenage sensation finally fell bowled to fast bowler Prasidh Krishna for 101 off 38 balls and walked off to a standing ovation from the home crowd and the team dugout.
His 166-run opening stand with fellow left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal launched his team’s chase of 210. They reached the target with 25 balls and eight wickets to spare.
Jaiswal hit an unbeaten 70 and put on an unbeaten stand of 41 with stand-in-skipper Riyan Parag who hit the winning six in his 15-ball 32.
But Suryavanshi’s masterclass took the limelight from everything including opposition knocks from Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill, who hit 84, and Jos Buttler, who struck an unbeaten 50.
Gujarat posted 209-4 but the total did not survive Suryavanshi’s blitz. He hit Afghanistan quick Karim Janat for three fours and three sixes in one 30-run over.
“It feels really good,” Suryavanshi said. “It is like a dream to score a century in the IPL. What I’ve been practising for the last three, four months, the result is showing.”
Suryavanshi rose to fame when he was drafted at age 13 last November. In a splashy debut this month, he whacked the first ball he faced for six at the same venue.
He showed brutal power-hitting yesterday against a battery of seasoned international bowlers including Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma and Washington Sundar.
The teenager smacked Sharma for three sixes and two fours in one over and clubbed spinner Sundar for two sixes and a four to raise this IPL’s fastest half-century off a mere 17 balls.
“It was incredible,” Rajasthan captain Riyan Parag said of Suryavanshi. “We’ve spent two months with him (and) we have seen what he can do, but to see him do this against the world-class bowlers GT has, (I) can’t express in words.”
Suryavanshi was patted on the back by his partner Jaiswal as he celebrated, removed his helmet and raised his bat to acknowledge the applause of the home crowd. He also saluted his teammates in the dugout with his bat.
“Batting with him (Jaiswal) gives me confidence because he keeps very positive, (and it) becomes easy to bat with him,” Suryavanshi said. He added he doesn’t notice the crowds much to “just focus on the ball.”
Gujarat are third on the 10-team table with six wins form nine matches.
Rajasthan’s chances of moving into the final four still hang by a thread as they are seventh with three wins and seven defeats.
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