- Monday, April 29, 2024
The Australian opening batter made a 39-ball century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the fourth quickest in the tournament.
By: Shubham Ghosh
SUNRISERS HYDERABAD’S batting powerhouse once came delivered on Monday (15) in a game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium when they posted a massive total of 287 for 3 in 20 overs, bettering their own record of scoring the maximum total in the tournament. The previous highest was their own 277 for 3 against Mumbai Indians a few weeks ago, the game that Hyderabad won by 31 runs.
The hero of the Hyderabad innings was Australian opening batter Travis Head who slammed a blistering ton to rewrite records in the IPL. Opening the innings for the 2016 champions, the southpaw made 101 in just 42 balls after launching an all-out attack against the home team.
He hit eight sixes and nine fours to remind once again his fondness for Indian pitches where he helped Australia win their sixth 50-over World Cup title by slamming a hundred in the final against India last November.
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Head, who opened the innings with Abhishek Sharma (34 in 22 balls) after RCB captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to field, raced to his half-century in just 20 balls. Hyderabad decimated Bengaluru in the first powerplay, plundering 70 runs in less than six overs. Head continued with his hitting and made the hundred in just 39 balls, eclipsing several records.
Heinrich Klaasen scored 67 in just 31 balls; Abdul Samad made 37 not out in 10 balls; and Aiden Markram 32 not out in 17 balls to ensure that Hyderabad’s scoring rate never slowed down.
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It was the fourth-fastest century in the 16-year history of the IPL.
Before Head, former wicket-keeper-batter Adam Gilchrist held the record of scoring the fastest century as an Australian in the IPL. He blasted a 42-ball ton for the now-defunct Deccan Chargers against Mumbai Indians in the inaugural edition in 2008 in Mumbai. The Chargers had won the game by 10 wickets.
South African David Miller scored the third fastest century in IPL in 2013 when he took only 38 balls to reach the milestone for Kings XI Punjab against Bengaluru at Mohali. On that occasion, the quick century came during the chase. Punjab won the game by six wickets.
The second fastest century was made by former India player Yusuf Pathan who had hit a 37-ball ton for Rajasthan Royals against Mumbai Indians at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai in 2010. Pathan’s effort, however, went in vain as Rajasthan lost by four runs.
The fastest ton in the IPL came from the explosive bat of The Universe Boss — Chris Gayle — who had destroyed the now defunct Pune Warriors by scoring a 30-ball 100 for RCB. It had come in the 2013 edition at the same venue where Head slammed his. Gayle remained unbeaten on 175 off just 66 balls and RCB won that game by 130 runs.
