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Maharashtra skipper Ankit Bawne two Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022 records in one go on November 23 against Puducherry. Bawne played a perfect captain's knock and scored an unbeaten 184 off 143 deliveries to break Andhra Pradesh batter Hanuma Vihari and his teammate Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Vihari held the previous record for the highest score by a non-opener captain in Vijay Hazare history. Vihari scored 169 against Mumbai in the 2018 edition.
Gaikwad held the previous record for highest score by a Maharashtra batter in men's List A cricket. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper had scored 168 runs against Chandigarh in the previous edition of the tournament. Earlier this month, Rahul Tripathi also scored an unbeaten 156 against Mumbai but could not break Gaikwad’s record.
The 29-year-old played the anchor role in Maharashtra's innings after Puducherry skipper Ramachandran Ragupathy won the toss and opted to field first in Ranchi.
Bawne had to walk out early in the innings as Pavan Shah returned to the pavillion after getting out leg before wicket to A Aravinddaraj. Bawne and Tripathi shared a 120-run partnership for the second wicket. Sagar Udeshi was expensive but he was able to break the partnership. Tripathi scored 61 runs from 73 deliveries including seven fours and one six.
Azim Kazi joined Bawne in the middle in the 26th over. The two batters increased the scoring rate in the middle overs. Kazi scored at a strike rate over 150. He hit 88 runs from 57 deliveries in the 193-run partnership for the third wicket. Kazi's knock had 10 fours and four sixes.
He missed out on his century as Rohan Suresh got his wicket in the 45th over. Suresh struck again to remove wicketkeeper-batter Saurabh Navale. In the slog overs, Maharashtra suffered a mini collapse. Amidst the collapse Bawne missed out on the opportunity to become Maharashtra's first double centurion in List A cricket. His 184-run knock helped Maharashtra post 379/7, their highest total in the tournament. His mammoth knock included as many as 28 fours and four sixes.
Bawne has an average of more than 45 in List A cricket and it was his 10th century in the format. However, he is yet to receive his maiden ODI call-up. He made his last Indian Premier League (IPL) appearance in 2017.
