In a jaw-dropping display of power hitting, Sahil Chauhan has etched his name in cricketing history by scoring the fastest T20 century ever, surpassing the legendary Chris Gayle's record of 30 balls. Playing for Estonia against Cyprus, Sahil's incredible innings saw him smash a century off just 27 balls, leading Estonia to an astounding victory.
Estonia was in dire straits at 9 for the loss of two wickets in the second over, chasing a daunting target of 192. Enter Sahil Chauhan. In a blistering knock of 144 off 41 balls, Sahil hit an unprecedented 18 sixes and 6 fours, dismantling the Cyprus bowling attack. His 18 sixes also set a new world record for the most sixes hit in a T20 International innings.
Chauhan’s journey to this remarkable achievement is as compelling as his performance. Hailing from Manakpur Devilal in Pinjore, Haryana, India, Sahil began playing cricket at the age of 7-8 years old. Cricket, a sport embedded in the culture of India, found an eager participant in Sahil. In 2016, he moved to Estonia to help his uncle with the family restaurant business.
Three years later, feeling the itch to play cricket again, he searched online for local cricket teams in Estonia. Recalling his entry into Estonian cricket, Chauhan said, "I was really bored so I started searching on Google for cricket in Estonia. I found a team's contact information and called them. I asked, 'Are you playing cricket?' They replied, 'yes, we play cricket'. I said, 'Are you serious about this?' and they responded, 'yes'. That's how I started playing the game here."
A huge fan of Indian captain Rohit Sharma, Chauhan credits his brother Shakeel for supporting and helping him with his game. His record-breaking innings is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and passion for cricket.
The growth and development of cricket in Europe have been significantly bolstered by initiatives from the European Cricket Network (ECN). These efforts have provided platforms for talents like Sahil Chauhan to flourish, showcasing the sport’s expanding footprint and nurturing the next generation of cricket stars across the continent. As cricket continues to grow in popularity in Europe, stories like Chauhan's will becoming increasingly common, highlighting the opportunities created by the ECN to develop and support emerging talent.
