Punjab's Salil Arora hammers 39-ball hundred in SMAT: Details here
What's the story
Salil Arora, a promising cricketer from Punjab, has made headlines by scoring a blazing century off just 39 balls. The explosive knock came during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Super League match against Jharkhand at the D.Y. Patil Academy in Pune on Friday. His blistering innings of 125* included nine fours and an incredible 11 sixes as Punjab posted a formidable total of 235/6 batting first.
Future prospects
Arora's explosive innings and potential IPL prospects
Arora's innings was especially brutal on Sushant Mishra, who bore the brunt of three sixes and a four in the last over. The 23-year-old Punjab batter, who arrived at number five, remained unbeaten on 125 off 45 balls at the end of his innings. His blistering performance has now put him in contention for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, where he is listed under the wicket-keeper category with a base price of ₹30 lakh.
Auction interest
Kolkata Knight Riders might target Arora in IPL auction
Kolkata Knight Riders, who are on the lookout for an Indian wicket-keeper, may consider bidding for Arora in the auction, which will take place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. His explosive batting style could make him a valuable asset for any team. Notably, Arora has just seven T20 games under his belt. The dasher's previous best score before the Jharkhand game was 44*. He has now raced to 267 runs in the format at a strike rate of 165-plus.
Information
Hundred on FC debut
It must be noted that Arora scored a hundred on his First-Class debut. He made 101 off 210 balls against Madhya Pradesh in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season. He currently owns 458 runs from nine FC games at 41.63 (50s: 3, 100: 1).