IPL 2026: Tilak Varma Matches Fastest Century Record for MI with a 45-Ball Knock Against GT
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Ahmedabad, April 20 (NationPress) Tilak Varma made headlines by tying the record for the quickest century in the history of the Mumbai Indians (MI), reaching his hundred in a remarkable 45 balls during Match 30 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against the Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday.
With this outstanding performance, he matched the historic record set by Sanath Jayasuriya, who had achieved a 45-ball century against the Chennai Super Kings in 2008 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Tilak now shares the record for the fastest hundreds for the Mumbai Indians alongside Jayasuriya (45 balls, 2008). Cameron Green follows with a 47-ball century against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2023, and Suryakumar Yadav scored a 49-ball century against the Gujarat Titans in the same season. This performance added to MI's success against GT, with Tilak becoming the second centurion against the franchise after Suryakumar’s unbeaten 103 off 49 balls at Wankhede in 2023.
In this match, the five-time champions struggled initially after being asked to bat first. Kagiso Rabada's early strikes put MI under pressure as he dismissed Danish Malewar, Quinton de Kock, and Suryakumar Yadav within the Power-play, leaving MI at just 46/3 after six overs.
Amidst this pressure, Tilak took charge, partnering with Naman Dhir to form a vital 52-run partnership. Their collaboration helped steady the innings through intelligent strike rotation and timely boundaries. Dhir contributed a solid 45 off 32 balls before being dismissed by Prasidh Krishna.
Tilak, who started cautiously on a slightly slower surface, quickly shifted gears once he settled in. He showcased an impressive display of dominance in the latter half of the innings, targeting the bowlers with newfound confidence. His fifty came off 33 balls, but what followed was a spectacular performance.
In the final overs, Tilak unleashed a barrage of boundaries and sixes, taking command of the match. He reached his first-ever IPL century in just 45 balls, finishing unbeaten at 101, with a remarkable innings featuring eight fours and seven sixes.
His extraordinary innings propelled the Mumbai Indians to a competitive total of 199/5, especially impressive following their rocky start. Rabada was the standout bowler for the Gujarat Titans, concluding with figures of 3/33, but Tilak’s brilliance in the closing overs ensured MI finished strongly.