Pujara hits 1st ton; Iyer breaks record

NEW DELHI: Twelve years after making his domestic T20 debut, India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara finally scored his maiden century on Thursday, albeit in a losing cause for Saurashtra, on a day Shreyas Iyer broke Rishabh Pant’s record for the highest T20 score by an Indian.

Pujara scored an unbeaten 61-ball century — comprising 14 boundaries and one over-boundary — to carry his bat in Saurashtra’s innings of 188/3 during their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Group C match against Railways Indore’s Holkar Stadium. Railways however chased down the target with just two balls to spare in a five-wicket win.

Pujara has often spoken aloud his desire to play all three formats but the team management has considered him only as a Test specialist. In a breakout year that saw Pujara score three centuries in India’s first ever Test series win in Australia, he has finally been able to able to tick one box that was long pending.

Pujara has never played a T20 and last played an ODI in Dhaka against Bangladesh in 2014.

IYER IN TOP FORM

Meanwhile, at Indore’s Emerald High School, Iyer slammed a 55-ball 147 to help Mumbai post 258/4 against Sikkim. Sikkim ended with 104/7, gifting Mumbai a huge 154-run victory.

This was the third highest T20 team total in India — after Royal Challengers Bangalore’s 263/5 against Pune Warriors India in Bengaluru in 2013 and India’s 260/5 against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017 — and also seventh highest in T20 cricket.

Iyer broke Rishabh Pant’s record of 128* in 63 balls in the 2018 IPL. Iyer hit 15 over-boundaries and seven boundaries.

Iyer’s haul makes him the new topper of the list of Indian batsmen with most number of sixes in a T20 innings. M Vijay previously held the record with 11sixes. Iyer is also tied-fourth with Chris Gayle on the overall list.

DELHI UPSET

The Delhi team that lost its Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 game to Jharkhand by three runs on Thursday is upset at the umpiring and may report it to the match referee. The team was aggrieved after opener Hiten Dalal was given lbw despite getting an inside edge. Then, a delivery in the 10th over which was chest height was not given a no-ball, robbing Delhi of an extra delivery and a free-hit. Delhi ended with 155/5 in 20 overs. The umpire on both occasions was Vineet Kulkarni.