Mohit Ahlawat
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2015-17, Career
Arani Basu, Delhi boy Ahlawat hits 300 in a T20 match, Feb 8, 2017: The Times of India
By the time the North Zone selectors sat down to pick the squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 at the Ferozeshah Kotla, there was already a huge buzz over the name of an unheralded 21-year old Delhi cricketer.
Mohit Ahlawat had just finished batting in a local T20 match and returned to the dressing room with a scarcely believable score of 300 not out off 72 balls, including 39 sixes and 14 fours.
By late evening, the wicketkeeper-batsman had got a call from Delhi Daredevils for a trial.
The tournament where Ahlawat exploded is being played at Lalita Park in East Delhi. With no DDCA-backed to urnaments taking pla ce given the state of affa irs in the association, several local cricketers are playing in these club-based leagues.
Ahlawat made his Ranji Trophy debut in November 2015 but fai led to score in his last three first-class knocks. He has been on the fringes ever since, but found his mojo on Tuesday and went berserk. Tuesday's match began as just another game for Mohit Ahlawat in a season in which he has hopped from team to team to get maximum match exposure. This time he got a call from Maavi XI to play against Friends XI in the quarterfinal of the Friends Premier League. “Bhaiya, bas khelne bulaya thha, toh main chala gaya (They invited me to play and I simply went). It's good that something like that has happened,“ Ahlawat said, keeping it simple.
It was in the 11th over that he realised something really special was in the offing. That's when he started to farm the strike. When I reached 150, I told myself 250 was there for the taking. So I told my partner at the other end that I was going to take most of the strike,“ he told TOI.
The 300 notwithstanding, the exposure in Ranji Trophy cricket still has more bearing on his cricket. “The failures have toughened me up,“ he said.
Ahlawat started his cricket only four years ago when his father sent him from Panipat to LB Shastri club in Delhi under the guidance of Sanjay Bhardwaj, who is the coach of the likes of Gautam Gambhir and Unmukt Chand. He had not played any age-group cricket before making the Ranji squad.
“Mine is a family of farmers.I wasn't really doing anything sitting at home. My family's livelihood is taken care of but my necessities are looked after by Sanjay sir. I hope to get a job after I finish my graduation,“ Ahlawat said of his plans.
For now, he would like to impress the Daredevils management before he goes up for the IPL auction.
Brief scores:
Maavi XI 4162 in 20 Overs (Ahlawat 300 not out) beat Friends XI 200 all out in 13 overs
