In a spectacular performance, Musheer Khan, following his elder
brother Sarfaraz Khan’s maiden India call-up, delivered a stunning
century for the India U19 cricket team in their ICC Under-19 Cricket
World Cup Super Six match against New Zealand in Bloemfontein on
Tuesday. With this accomplishment, Musheer joins the ranks of Shikhar Dhawan as only the second Indian to score multiple centuries in the Under-19 World Cup.
In an exclusive interview with TDG, Musheer’s father, Naushad Khan, shared insights into his coaching philosophy, stating, “I don’t talk or guide him… a good coach should know when to keep quiet… this is the time for both to perform on what they have learned.”
This marks Musheer’s second century in the ongoing World Cup,
following his impressive knock of 118 against Ireland on January 25. Shikhar Dhawan achieved a similar feat with three centuries in the 2004 edition.
Musheer Khan dominated New Zealand’s bowling attack with his second century of the ICC U-19 World Cup, contributing to India’s formidable total of 296 runs in their Super Six contest on Tuesday. Opening
batsman Adarsh Singh added to the challenge for New Zealand with a
solid 52. On the Mangaung Oval’s ideal batting wicket, Musheer
showcased his skills, becoming the first player in the current competition to breach the 300-run mark, surpassing Pakistan’s Shahzaib Khan.
His remarkable innings of 131 included 13 fours and three sixes off just 125 balls, demonstrating admirable temperament and strategic acceleration. Musheer’s innings featured fine running between the wickets and
concluded in the death overs as he aimed to accelerate further.
The young cricketer’s achievement makes him the second Indian batter
ever to score two centuries in the U-19 World Cup, following in the
footsteps of Shikhar Dhawan’s three centuries in 2004. Sarfaraz Khan, Musheer’s elder brother, had represented India in the 2014 and 2016
U19 World Cup editions. In Tuesday’s match, Musheer reached a score of 131 before being
dismissed by Mason Clarke in the 48th over. His stellar performance
led India to a total of 295/8 in 50 overs after being asked to bat. Musheer currently leads the run-getters list of the 2024 U19 World
Cup, accumulating 325 runs from four matches, including 28 fours and 8
sixes. Notably, he has scored two centuries and one half-century in
the tournament.
Musheer’s century against New Zealand saw him surpass West Indies’ Jewel Andrew as the leading run-scorer in this U19 World Cup. With 325 runs at an average of 81.25, Musheer holds the seventh-highest individual total by an Indian batter at a single U19 World Cup edition. Shikhar Dhawan remains at the top of the chart with his tally of 505 runs in 2004.
This century also makes Musheer the second Indian batter after Dhawan to achieve multiple tons in a single U19 World Cup edition. Dhawan had three such scores during his memorable 2004 campaign.
Sunil Yash Kalra is a women’s cricket historian and founder of Indian
Sports Fans.
