21-year-old Nehal Wadhera scored 578 runs against Bathinda U-23 team in the semi-final of Punjab State Inter-District Tournament at GRD Cricket Ground in Ludhiana on Thursday i.e. 28 April. Representing Ludhiana, Nehal hit 42 fours and 37 sixes during his 414-ball knock. On the basis of this Himalayan innings of Nehal, Ludhiana declared their innings at 880 for 6 on the second day of the 4-day match. In reply, Bathinda had scored 117 for 4 at the end of day’s play.
With this, Nehal Wadhera broke the 66-year-old record of making the highest score in a state-organised cricket tournament. Before Nehal, this record was held by former Punjab cricketer Chaman Lal Malhotra. Nehal also made it to the list of all-time highest individual scorer in any format of cricket, batting at number 3 globally.
Nehal scored 578 in 414 balls at a strike rate of over 139. Hardly anyone has read or heard the news of scoring runs at such a strike rate during such a big innings. He has scored the fastest 200, the fastest 300, the fastest 400 and the fastest 500. Although, this is not first-class cricket, it is still a great achievement.
Just seven months ago, Nehal was declared the highest scorer ever in the 26-year history of the JP Atre Memorial National ODI tournament. On that day, he scored 171 runs in the match against RBI Mumbai XI, surpassing Lalit Yadav’s 168 and Shikhar Dhawan’s 161 runs.
Left handed batsman Nehal Wadhera Yuvraj Singh He has a huge fan and considers him as his role model. He also has a special connection with Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj Singh made his international debut in the year 2000 in Nairobi. Nehal was born a month before Yuvraj’s international debut.
Nehal Wadhera told ‘The Indian Express’, ‘I have not yet seen whether I have set a world record or not, but I am happy with my performance. We are working hard to win the tournament because my contribution is for the team.
Nehal’s father Kamal Wadhera runs a coaching institute in Ludhiana. Nehal Wadhera started playing the game in Ludhiana District Cricket Association under the guidance of Charanjit Bhangu. Charanjit Bhangu says, ‘I reminded you of Yuvi.’
Charanjit recalls old memories, ‘I do not remember the date exactly, but in a match against Ludhiana, Yuvi had scored around 400 runs for Chandigarh. I was the wicketkeeper for Ludhiana in that match.
He said, ‘Nehal came to me when I was in middle school. I have seen a spark in them since childhood. You can see a glimpse of Yuvraj in him (Nehal).
Nehal is a former member of the Indian Under-19 team. During the tour of Sri Lanka in July 2018, he had scored two half-centuries. In which he had a half-century (81 runs) on his international Under-19 debut. He scored 540 runs in the 2017-18 Cooch Behar Trophy with 6 half-centuries.
Nehal has not yet made his debut for the Punjab senior team. He told, ‘At the Rajasthan Royals camp, Kumar Sangakkara Sir encouraged me a lot. He motivated me and said that my game is good. He spent quality time with me. Based on his input, I’m working on my power-hitting. I hope to get a chance to play for Punjab senior team and IPL in future.
Nehal Wadhera was part of Punjab’s Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 team, but did not get a chance to play. He is the third cricketer from Ludhiana to play for India at any level. Yashpal Sharma and Gagandeep Singh, who were members of the 1983 World Cup winning Indian team before him, have represented the country at the senior level.