Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi etched his name in the record books on Monday by becoming the youngest centurion in men’s Twenty20 cricket. His explosive 101 from just 38 balls led Rajasthan Royals to a dominant eight-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Jaipur.
Suryavanshi took charge of the Gujarat bowling attack, smashing 11 sixes and seven fours as he guided Rajasthan to chase down a 209-run target in just 15.5 overs. His century came in a mere 35 balls, marking the second-fastest IPL century of all time.
He formed a 166-run opening partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal, a stand that helped put Rajasthan in a commanding position.
“It feels amazing. It’s my first hundred in the IPL, and it’s only my third innings. All the practice before the tournament has paid off,” said Suryavanshi, who was named player of the match.
“I just focus on playing, not on fear. I see the ball and play it. It’s a dream come true to score a century in the IPL,” he added.
Suryavanshi’s knock also set a new record for the fastest century by an Indian in IPL history, surpassing Yusuf Pathan’s 37-ball effort for Rajasthan in 2010.
“Congratulations to young Vaibhav Suryavanshi for breaking my record of the fastest IPL hundred by an Indian,” Pathan wrote on social media, adding, “It’s even more special to see him do it while playing for Rajasthan Royals, just like I did.”
Suryavanshi had already made headlines when, at 13, he became the youngest player to earn an IPL contract. His IPL debut this month saw him hit a six off the first ball he faced.
In addition to his IPL success, Suryavanshi played in the domestic Ranji Trophy at the age of 12 last year and has represented India’s Under-19 team, scoring a century off 58 balls against Australia. He also made a triple century in a local tournament in Bihar.
With this victory over Gujarat, Rajasthan Royals broke a five-game losing streak and moved up from eighth in the IPL standings.
