Tilak Varma smashes 45-ball century for Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Titans; equals IPL record

Tilak Varma, a star Mumbai Indians (MI) batter delivered a sensational 45-ball century against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their IPL 2026 clash at Narendra Modi Stadium. His remarkable knock powered the five-time champions from a shaky position to a competitive total of 199/5 in 20 overs.

Tilak completed his hundred in style on the final ball of the innings, smashing a boundary off Prasidh Krishna towards square leg. He removed his helmet and soaked in the applause from the Ahmedabad crowd as teammates rushed to celebrate the milestone.

Tilak Varma equals the joint-fastest century record by a Mumbai Indians batter

Tilak Varma has equalled the joint-fastest hundred by a Mumbai Indians batter in IPL history. The record was previously held by former Sri Lankan great Sanath Jayasuriya, who smashed a 45-ball century for MI in IPL 2008. The young left-hander’s explosive innings has now placed him alongside the fastest century-maker for the franchise.

Tilak showed great maturity by anchoring the innings early on. He was on just 19 off 22 balls when MI were reeling at 103/4 after 14 overs. However, he then switched gears dramatically in the last six overs, launching a fierce attack on the Gujarat Titans bowlers.

A standout moment came in the 18th over when he smashed Ashok Sharma for 26 runs, completely changing the momentum. Entering the final over on 80, Tilak needed 20 runs for his century. He responded with a crisp four, two massive sixes, and sealed the milestone with another four off the last ball against Prasidh Krishna.

Tilak Varma’s heroics give Mumbai Indians a fighting total in IPL 2026

The unbeaten 101 off 45 balls highlighted Tilak’s ability to build an innings before accelerating at will. His calculated aggression helped the Mumbai Indians recover strongly and set a challenging target for the Gujarat Titans on a good batting surface at Narendra Modi Stadium.

This century marks a big personal milestone for the young star and underlines why he is regarded as one of India’s most promising T20 talents.

Tilak Varma’s explosive knock has injected fresh energy into the Mumbai Indians campaign and given them a strong platform in this high-stakes encounter.

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“The first hundred will always be special. And to be honest, it was very important for us. We don’t have much time from here. Every game is important for us. At the same point, in the last five games, I haven’t spent much time in the middle. So I was just thinking that this game, I want to spend time in the center of the wicket. So that’s what I thought. If you see the first 20 balls, I was just going ball by ball. I was just batting. And later on, once I had faced a few balls on the wicket, I know what I am capable of, and exactly I have done that. I’m really grateful for that,” Tilak Varma expressed.

“I was just seeing the situation, what the team needs. And at that moment, I was stable, keeping my head still and following my basics. And you know, I’ve got all the fancy shots. When the team needs, I can use that. But especially when you’re batting under pressure, all you need is backing your skill. And that’s what I backed today, and it has given me good results. (His partnership with Naman) Yeah, yeah, it was very important. The way Naman played at that moment was very crucial for us, with a positive intent. Yeah, credit goes to him as well. And after that, the way I carried on, I’m really proud, especially,” he added.