Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Travis Head carved his name into the Indian Premier League record books with a blistering century, the fourth-fastest in the tournament's history against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday.
The Australian opener, who returned to the IPL after an eight-year absence, fully capitalized on RCB's weak bowling attack, hammering a 39-ball century to propel Hyderabad to a strong start. Head's innings was an exhibition of clean hitting, embellished with eight sixes and nine fours.
Head's fifty came even quicker, arriving off just 20 balls with five sixes and three boundaries. He continued his onslaught, adding another 50 runs in just 19 deliveries to reach his maiden IPL hundred with a four.
Openers Head and Abhishek Sharma (34 off 22) provided Hyderabad with a flying start, stitching together a 108-run partnership for the first wicket within the powerplay (first six overs).
Head, who was picked up by Hyderabad in the 2024 auction, had previously played in the IPL in 2016 and 2017. This knock marks a remarkable comeback for the southpaw, showcasing his destructive potential at the top of the order. Head's innings was eventually halted by a slower delivery from Josh Ferguson, caught by Faf du Plessis at mid-off. Despite the dismissal, he received a standing ovation from the Sunrisers Hyderabad owners.
Fastest IPL Centuries:
| Player | Balls |
|---|
| Chris Gayle | 30 |
| Yusuf Pathan | 37 |
| David Miller | 38 |
| Travis Head | 39 |
| Adam Gilchrist | 42 |
| AB de Villiers | 42 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 45 |
