The Indian Premier League (IPL) started in 2008 and since then this league has come a long way. Today it has become the most watched cricket league in the world. This league has given international recognition to many star players and the players playing here get both money and fame. From the very first season of IPL, many young players gave new heights to their careers. In this episode, in 2009, Manish Pandey became the first Indian to score a century in IPL.
Manish Pandey and Vi played for RCB
In the IPL 2009 season, both Manish Pandey and Virat Kohli were part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) team. On 21 May 2009, a match was played between RCB and Deccan Chargers. In this match, the RCB team won by 12 runs. In this match, both Manish Pandey and Virat Kohli were included in the playing eleven.
RCB batted first and scored 170 runs in 20 overs. During this, Virat Kohli played an innings of 19 runs, while Manish Pandey batted brilliantly and scored a century. On the basis of this brilliant innings, RCB scored a strong score and ultimately succeeded in winning this match.
#OnThisDay in 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣9️⃣ against the Deccan Chargers, Manish Pandey created history by becoming the first Indian to score a century in the IPL, and led RCB to a memorable win at the Centurion! 🤩
Runs: 1️⃣1️⃣4️⃣* (73)
4s: 1️⃣0️⃣
6s: 4️⃣
S/r: 1️⃣5️⃣6️⃣.1️⃣6️⃣ 🔥#PlayBold pic.twitter.com/UCJNqMuy9k— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 21, 2020
The special thing about his innings was that he led his team to a respectable score and batted with patience throughout the innings. His performance not only led RCB to victory but also made him a star overnight. After this innings, Manish Pandey started being seen as a reliable batsman in IPL.
Won the Under-19 World Cup with Virat Kohli
Manish Pandey and Virat Kohli’s friendship and cricket career have had similar beginnings. When India won the Under-19 World Cup in 2008 under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey was also a part of that winning team. He played important innings during the tournament and scored 20 runs against South Africa in the final match.
After this, both the players played together for RCB in 2009 and impressed cricket lovers with their performance. Virat Kohli went on to achieve great things in Indian cricket, while Manish Pandey also went on to have a great career in IPL and domestic cricket.
Manish Pandey played for KKR last season
Manish Pandey’s career in IPL has been full of ups and downs. From 2008 to 2024, he played a total of 171 IPL matches, scoring 3850 runs. During this, he scored one century and 22 half-centuries.
He was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team last season (2024), but did not get many opportunities. He played only one match, in which he scored 41 runs. However, looking at his experience and batting skills, it can be said that he can still prove useful for any team.
Manish Pandey’s IPL career is an inspiration for young players. He proved that if one plays with hard work and patience, any player can make his dreams come true. It will be interesting to see in the coming years whether he once again becomes a part of any team and shines in the IPL.
