New Delhi. Vaibhav Suryavanshi's 'friend' Ayush Mhatre won a lot of applause by playing a brilliant innings against Punjab Kings. Eighteen-year-old Ayush scored a lot of runs on the balls of strong fast bowlers like Marco Yansen, Arshdeep Singh, Marcus Stoinis and Xavier Bartlett. Everyone was surprised to see the batting of Ayush, who led India to the Under-19 World Cup under his captaincy. He got two leases of life during this period. Which he took advantage of very well. The first catch of right-handed batsman Ayush was taken by Yuzvendra Chahal while the second catch was taken by Vijay Kumar Vaishakh.
In Under-19 cricket, Vaibhav Suryavanshi's captain and his opening partner Ayush Mhatre scored 73 runs in 43 balls which included six fours and five sixes at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Ayush, who came to bat at number three, made a partnership of 96 runs with Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Ayush scored the second half-century of his IPL career.
Ayush Mhatre achieved this big achievement
In the history of IPL, the record of playing the biggest individual innings before the age of 19 has now been registered in the name of young Indian talent. Vaibhav Suryavanshi tops this list, who played a memorable century inning of 101 runs against Gujarat Titans in 2025 at the age of just 14 years and 32 days. At the same time, Ayush Mhatre has also proved his batting prowess and played two big innings. He scored 94 runs against RCB in 2025 at the age of 17 years 291 days, and now he has maintained his dominance in this special club by playing a blazing inning of 73 runs against Punjab Kings at the age of 18 years 261 days.
Young opener Ayush Mhatre played a brilliant innings against Punjab Kings.
Vijaykumar dismissed Ayush
In the 13th over of the match, Vijaykumar Vaishakh ended the stormy innings of Ayush Mhatre, giving a big success to Punjab Kings. Mhatre, who was completely set on the crease, tried to play his signature slice shot on a full-length (closer to yorker) ball from Vaishakh, but this time the ball went straight into the hands of Yuzvendra Chahal standing at short third man. Chahal took a brilliant catch while comfortably keeping his fingers upwards. In this brilliant innings, Mhatre scored 73 runs in 43 balls, which included 6 fours and 5 skyscraper sixes.
Fans couldn't stop laughing
IPL 2026 is known for its uncertainties, but what happened in the match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, instead of thrill, brought such laughter that the fans could not stop laughing. After the dismissal of Sanju Samson, when the young sensation Ayush Mhatre came to bat at number three, even before the start of the match, a drama started which surprised everyone on the Chepauk ground.
what does the rule say
According to the rules, the umpire called for a 'Bat Gauge' to check the width of Ayush Mhatre's bat. He was surprised when his bat could not pass through the gauge. Mhatre immediately ordered another bat, but that too failed. After this the third bat came on the field, but the result remained the same. The bat got stuck in the gauge. Young Mhatre, desperate to play his first big innings, looked completely nervous and confused at the crease, while thousands of fans sitting in the stadium could not understand what was happening.
Then there was a twist in the story
Then there came a 'twist' in this whole story which raised questions on umpiring itself. When the umpire looked carefully at the gauge and found it inverted. He turned it and straightened it. As soon as the gauge straightened, Mhatre's 'real' bat passed through it without any obstruction. That is, all the bats that were rejected till now were not because of the bat but because the umpire was holding the gauge upside down. In this entire process, substitute players ran on the field twice, Mhatre's precious time was wasted and an awkward situation prevailed on the field.
