Assam skipper, Riyan Parag, nearly etched his name in the Ranji Trophy history books with a blazing display of batting prowess against Chhattisgarh at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium on Monday.
Parag’s explosive innings marked the second-fastest century in the tournament’s history.
Facing Chhattisgarh in Assam’s season opener, Parag’s masterclass unfolded during Assam’s second innings.
He achieved the milestone of a century in just 56 deliveries, ultimately amassing a remarkable 155 runs off a mere 87 balls.
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The young skipper’s innings featured an onslaught of 11 fours and an astonishing 12 sixes.
Despite Parag’s outstanding performance, it may not be sufficient to secure a victory for Assam in the match.
Chhattisgarh, after winning the toss and opting to field first, had posted a formidable total of 327, courtesy of a century by skipper Amandeep Khare (116) and Shashank Singh’s resilient 82.
Assam, in response, was bundled out for 159, trailing by 168 runs.
With Chhattisgarh enforcing the follow-on, Parag entered the crease with Assam at 78/2.
Despite losing partners at regular intervals, Parag showcased his resilience by forming crucial partnerships with Bishal Roy, Akash Sengupta, and the tail-enders.
Assam managed to set Chhattisgarh a target of 87 by reaching a total of 254.
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As of the latest update, Chhattisgarh seems to be on the path to victory with 10 wickets in hand.
While Parag’s extraordinary innings prevented Assam from succumbing to an innings defeat, the outcome of the match is yet to be determined.
The record for the fastest century in the Ranji Trophy still belongs to Rishabh Pant, who achieved the feat with a 48-ball 100 for Delhi against Jharkhand in the 2016-17 season.
Last year during the Syed Mustaq Ali Trophy, the cricketer from Assam delivered an outstanding performance in the tournament, achieving a historic milestone as the first player ever to record seven consecutive half-centuries in T20 cricket.
This remarkable feat propelled him to the top of the charts, amassing a total of 510 runs with an impressive average of 85 and a striking strike rate of 182.79.
