Anmolpreet Singh of Punjab on Saturday hit the fastest List A century by an Indian and the third overall by smashing a 35-ball hundred against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Only Jake Fraser-McGurk (29 balls) and AB de Villiers (31) have managed to reach the three-digit mark faster than Anmolpreet Singh to date.
The stylish right-hander, who walked in at number three at Ahmedabad, punished Arunachal bowlers for 11 fours and eight sixes. He came into the middle in the second over the innings following the dismissal of his skipper Abhishek Sharma for 10. Punjab chased down Arunachal Pradesh's 164 in just 12.5 overs to register a nine-wicket win as Anmolpreet remained unbeaten on 115 in 45 balls. Prabhsimran Singh (35 not out, 25b) played second-fiddle to Anmolpreet in the 153-run unbroken partnership between the two.
Anmolpreet, who went unsold in the recent IPL auction, broke the record of former India all-rounder Yusuf Pathan, who had scored a hundred off 40 balls for Baroda against Maharashtra in 2009-10.
Brief scores: Arunachal Pradesh: 164 all out in 48.4 overs (Tech Neri 42, Hardik Varma 38; Ashwani Kumar 3/37, Mayank Markande 3/31) Punjab: 167/1 in 12.5 overs (Anmolpreet Singh 115 not out)