Surat, March 20 (IANS) Gujarat’s Aarya Desai has made history in T20 cricket by scoring a sensational 193 in 81 balls in the ’Surat Cricket T20 League—a tournament recognised by the Gujarat Cricket Association — and is being touted as the highest-ever individual score in the shorter version of the white-ball game.

The 22-year-old player’s breathtaking performance, which has caused a stir on social media after several local handles and the official Insta handle of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) projected it as the highest score ever scored in a T20 match, was confirmed to IANS by GCA Secretary Anil Patel.

Desai, who has represented Gujarat in prestigious tournaments like the Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy, showcased his sheer dominance by hammering 21 fours and 14 sixes during his blitzkrieg in the Surat Cricket T20 League, which is in its 6th year and features top state probables across all age groups from every district.

Desai is a former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player and a regular at National Cricket Academy camps. At the state level, he is known for his steady rise with consistency, class, and confidence.

GCA secretary Anil Patel described Aarya Desai’s journey as a cricketer so far.

“I haven’t seen anybody hit a ball in the way he did. This knock came in a tournament recognised by the Surat District Cricket Association and the Gujarat Cricket Association. All the probable players of the Gujarat Cricket Association from 11 districts are participating in the same tournament,” Anil Patel told IANS via phone.

He said that the tournament is running in its sixth season and is being organised on the same pattern. He added that the GCA also organises a women’s tournament on the same pattern for the last three seasons.

Patel said all U19, U23, and senior players from the state are representing various teams in the Surat event.

Talking about Arya Desai, Patel said, “He was a part of the KKR team in IPL before, and he is a very promising player. He has made more than 500 runs in the last Ranji Trophy season. He did a good job in both white-ball tournaments, also. Last time, he made it to the Duleep Trophy team and was even picked in the India U23 team for an Emerging Players Tournament. In all, we are looking for a good future for him,” he said.

–IANS

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