18-year-old Prakhar batted 638 balls to score a record-setting 404, in the process breaking former India batter Yuvraj Singh‘s 24-year-old record of 358, the previous highest score in a Cooch Behar title clash.
Riding on Prakhar’s innings, Karnataka made 890 for eight in 223 overs, replying to Mumbai’s 380 all out in the final at Shivamogga.
Speaking to TOI after the record-smashing feat, Prakhar said that breaking Yuvraj Singh’s record feels unbelievable to him and achieving this feat is beyond words for him.
Excerpts:
How does it feel to have scored 404 not out?
It feels really great. I’m really proud because it came in the final to win the trophy for Karnataka against a strong team like Mumbai. Feels really good.
Your celebration was rather muted whether it was 100, 200, 300 or 400. Why that?
I’m a calm person. I don’t like to show my emotions that much on the field. And also I feel after you achieved a milestone, like you should look to keep pushing and continue the good work.
When did you get to know that you had just surpassed Yuvraj Singh’s record?
I got to know from my teammates and coaches during lunch, when I was batting on 299, that the highest score in the finals of Coach Behar is by Yuvraj Singh himself, 358. That was the time I got to know about it, and it feels really good that I was able to break it.
How is that feeling of having surpassed a record which was held for 24 years by somebody like Yuvraj Singh?
I still can’t believe it that I have achieved it. I remember as a kid I watched MS Dhoni, and then like when I got to know that Yuvraj Singh scored 358, I had no words. And then to be able to do it now it feels unbelievable. I am still not able to believe it.