Exactly a year after smashing the second-fastest 50-over century by an Indian, Gujarat opener Urvil Patel clattered a 28-ball century in the shortest format, which is the second-fastest overall in T20s and the fastest by an Indian. Urvil's feat came against Tripura in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's domestic T20 tournament, in Indore.
The record for the fastest T20 hundred belongs to Sahil Chauhan of Estonia, who got there in 27 balls against Cyprus in Episkopi, Cyprus, in June this year. The record for the fastest century by an Indian belonged to Rishabh Pant, who had reached three figures off 32 balls for Delhi against Himachal Pradesh, also in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, in January 2018.
Chasing 156 against Tripura on Wednesday, Gujarat romped home in just 10.2 overs thanks to Urvil's unbeaten 113 off 35 balls that was studded with seven fours and 12 sixes. Three of those sixes went over the covers, three in the 'V' down the ground, four over the midwicket region and one sailed over square leg. Four of those 12 sixes were struck against Tripura captain Mandeep Singh, who had moved from Punjab before the start of the ongoing season. Urvil clattered Mandeep for 24 runs off just five balls, Abhijit Sarkar for 26 off nine balls (four fours and a six), Sankar Paul for 17 off four and Manisankar Murasingh for 28 runs off 10 balls, with the help of one four and three sixes.
On November 27 last year, Urvil had smashed a 41-ball century in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, just a day after being released by Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the 2024 auction. That had placed him second in the list of the fastest List-A hundreds by Indians, behind Yusuf Pathan's achievement of 40 balls. Urvil had been released after not getting any games with GT in IPL 2023.
Urvil's name was in the list of the uncapped wicketkeepers for the IPL 2025 mega auction recently but he did not find any takers.