New Delhi: In an innings that will be remembered as one of the most explosive innings in IPL history. Tilak Verma He didn’t just score a century – he rewrote the record books and outplayed the Gujarat Titans’ entire line-up to lead Mumbai Indians to a stunning 99-run victory on Monday.Verma’s unbeaten 101 off just 45 balls was not only his maiden IPL century but also an innings full of astonishing numbers. The left-hander equaled Santh Jayasuriya’s 45-ball century from 2008 – the joint-fastest ever for MI.Go beyond limits with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!Yet, what made the innings truly extraordinary was the manner in which it unfolded. Verma scored just 17 off his first 20 balls, before launching a jaw-dropping onslaught – 84 off his next 25 balls. The 251-point difference in strike rate between the two phases is the highest ever recorded in an IPL innings.“I wanted to spend time in the middle,” Verma said after the match. “In the first 20 balls, I was just batting through the ball. Then I realized what I was capable of… it was about reading the situation and backing my skills.”For about 14 overs, Verma did not hit a single boundary, scoring just 19 runs off 22 balls. The carnage that followed. A stunning 82 off his last 23 balls, including 15 boundaries, as he tore apart the GT attack with ruthless precision.Records fall in a breathtaking finish.The closing overs turned into a personal highlight reel. Verma returned 82 runs in the last six overs – the most by any batsman at this stage of an IPL innings – eclipsing Quinton de Kock’s previous record of 80. He also scored 64 in the last four overs, just behind Tim David’s 68 earlier this season.Batting at No. 5, Verma became only the fourth player in IPL history to score a century from that position or lower, joining Yusuf Pathan, David Miller and Ben Stokes.Perhaps the most surprising statistic — Verma became the first MI batsman to outscore the opposition in an IPL match, getting out for GT 100 in reply.“The first 100 will always be special… every game is important for us,” Verma said while also crediting his teammate Naman Dhir. “The way he played with intent helped build momentum.”It was also a long-awaited personal milestone. Playing his 60th IPL match, Verma finally bagged his first Player of the Match award – ending the longest wait in the league.
