(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] In a tale of sibling success, Musheer Khan, aged 18, is carving his own path to glory in the ongoing ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, following the footsteps of his elder brother Sarfaraz Khan, who recently earned his maiden Test call-up for the senior men’s Indian cricket team after years of dedicated performance in domestic cricket.
Musheer, a right-handed batsman born in Mumbai, has been a standout performer in the tournament, showcasing his immense talent and potential. His recent match-winning century against New Zealand in the super six fixture at Bloemfontein’s Mangaung Oval was a testament to his skill and determination. Scoring an impressive 131 runs off 126 balls, including 13 fours and three maximums, Musheer’s innings not only secured victory for his team but also etched his name in the record books.
With this century, Musheer became only the second Indian batsman to score two centuries in a single edition of the biennial tournament. This feat was achieved by Shikhar Dhawan in the 2004 U-19 World Cup where he scored three hundreds. His first century of the tournament came against Ireland as he scored 118 runs off 106 balls at the same venue.
Musheer’s stellar performance against the Black Caps proved pivotal as it propelled the Men in Blue a daunting target of 295 runs at the loss of 8 wickets. In response, Oscar Johnson’s side faltered against India’s bowling attack, managing only 81 runs and conceding a massive 214-run victory to the defending champions.
With 325 runs under his belt in just four matches, Musheer stands as the highest run-scorer in the ongoing tournament, occupying the pivotal number three position for the Indian team. His remarkable average of 81.25 and a strike-rate of 103.17 speak volumes about his consistency and impact on the field.
His innings of 131 runs now ranks as the fourth-highest individual score in the history of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup for India, following Raj Angad Bawa’s unbeaten 162 against Uganda in the 2022 edition, Dhawan’s 155* against Scotland in 2004 and Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s 144 against Uganda in 2022.