Young Mumbai Sensation Creates Cricket History
In a remarkable display of batting prowess, 18-year-old Ayush Mhatre has rewritten the record books by becoming the youngest cricketer ever to score centuries across all three domestic formats. The Mumbai opener achieved this extraordinary feat during Mumbai's commanding seven-wicket victory over Vidarbha in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium B ground on Friday.
Record-Breaking Achievement
Mhatre's unbeaten 110-run knock in the T20 tournament completed his set of centuries, having already scored hundreds in the Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier this season. What makes this achievement particularly special is that he has surpassed Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma's record, who had accomplished the same feat at 19 years and 339 days.
The young prodigy is just 18 years and 135 days old, making him significantly younger than other notable cricketers who achieved this milestone. Unmukt Chand, Quinton de Kock, and Ahmed Shehzad had all crossed this mark shortly after turning 20, highlighting the exceptional nature of Mhatre's accomplishment at such a tender age.
Match-Winning Performance
Facing a challenging target of 193 set by Vidarbha, Mumbai's chase began disastrously when experienced campaigner Ajinkya Rahane was dismissed for a duck, trapped leg-before by Nalkande. The situation worsened when Hardik Tamore departed early with just 1 run to his name, leaving Mumbai in a precarious position.
The turning point came when Surya Kumar Yadav joined forces with Mhatre, stitching together a crucial 88-run partnership off just 59 balls to stabilize the innings. After Yadav's departure for 35 runs off 30 balls, Mhatre found an able partner in Shivam Dube, with the duo forging a devastating 85-run stand from merely 35 deliveries to seal the victory.
Mhatre's innings was nothing short of spectacular - scoring 110 runs from just 53 balls at an astonishing strike rate of 207.55. His knock included eight boundaries and eight massive sixes, showcasing his aggressive intent and clean hitting ability. Shivam Dube provided excellent support, remaining unbeaten on 39 from 19 balls with three fours and three sixes.
Vidarbha's Innings and Mumbai's Bowling
Earlier in the match, Vidarbha had posted a competitive total of 192/9, thanks largely to their openers Atharva Taide and A. Mokhade, who added a formidable 115-run partnership in just 56 balls. Mokhade smashed 61 off 30 deliveries with seven boundaries and two sixes, while Taide contributed 64 from 36 balls, including nine fours and one six.
However, the innings lost momentum after the openers' dismissal, with six wickets falling rapidly in just five overs. India's T20 star Surya Kumar Yadav made significant contributions in the field, taking two spectacular catches that became the talking point of Vidarbha's innings.
Yadav's first catch saw him sprint nearly 20 meters towards deep extra cover before completing a diving effort to dismiss YV Rathod. Soon after, he displayed remarkable agility at square leg to pluck a one-handed catch to send back Nalkande.
For Mumbai, Shivam Dube and Sairaj Patil were the standout bowlers, claiming three wickets each while conceding 31 and 33 runs respectively. Ankolekar also chipped in with two crucial wickets that helped restrict Vidarbha under the 200-run mark.
Other Matches Highlights
In other Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches at Ekana Stadium, Railways' Atal Bihari Rai shone with a three-wicket haul to secure a 32-run victory over Kerala. Assam registered a comfortable 48-run win against Chhattisgarh, while Andhra Pradesh defeated Odisha by 66 runs in their respective encounters.
Mhatre's record-breaking achievement marks the emergence of a new batting sensation in Indian domestic cricket, signaling a bright future for the young Mumbai opener who has already drawn comparisons with some of the game's greats at such an early stage of his career.
