Priyansh Arya’s sublime century ends in heartbreak

The Punjab Kings sensation became the first Indian batter since KL Rahul to fall one run short of a double century when Manan Hingrajia bowled him in the 77th over of the innings. Before the heartbreak, Priyansh Arya had torn into the Gujarat bowling attack at the Palam B Ground, Model Sports Complex in Delhi.

Playing just his third first-class match, the left-handed batter was at his attacking best on Sunday morning, reaching his maiden first-class century off just 126 balls. Arya continued in the same vein thereafter, scoring his next 99 runs off 95 balls before losing his wicket. His innings included 24 fours and six sixes, coming at a strike rate of 90.04.

Arya, who opened the innings, stitched together a mammoth 234-run partnership with Delhi captain Ayush Badoni for the fourth wicket, helping the hosts reach 381-4 at stumps. Badoni remained unbeaten on 115 as Delhi looked to build a massive first-innings total.

With the knock, Arya became the first Indian batter since KL Rahul in 2016 to be dismissed for 199 in red-ball cricket. Rahul had scored 199 against England in the Chennai Test, while three other batters - Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis and Angelo Mathews - have since been dismissed for the same score in Test cricket. Overall, Arya became the 16th Indian batter to be dismissed for 199 in first-class cricket.

The 25-year-old Arya has been a key figure for Punjab Kings in the IPL, scoring 839 runs across two seasons at a strike rate of 191.99 and an average of 27.96. In IPL 2026, he recorded the second-highest strike rate (211.62) among batters with more than 300 runs, behind only Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He has also scored an IPL century off just 39 balls, the fourth-fastest by an Indian in the league.

Arya made his Ranji Trophy debut last year and has now scored 330 runs at an average of 82.50, including one fifty and his 199 against Gujarat.

Indian batters who have been dismissed on 199 in first-class cricket