Wicketkeeper-batsman Ajay Rohera scored an unbeaten 130 runs off 65 balls* for the Jabalpur Lions against the Malwa Stallions. The match was played on, June 13, 2026, during the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 tournament at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. The Jabalpur Royal Lions found themselves in early trouble, slumping to 64/3 in the 9th over. Rohera took control, anchoring the sinking ship while rotating the strike. He reached a well-calculated half-century, scoring 53 runs off 33 balls. settled, he began targeting boundaries. Despite losing a couple more partners, he reached 101 runs in 57 balls. His first 50 runs took 30 balls, but his second 50 exploded in just 24 balls.
In the final four overs, Rohera played with unmatched aggression. Alongside partner Sanjog Nijjer, he put together a blistering 100-run partnership off just 43 balls. Astonishingly, Rohera contributed 75 runs off just 28 balls during that partnership alone. He walked off the field having smashed 9 boundaries (fours) and 9 towering sixes, operating at a rapid strike rate of 200.00 to drag his team to a massive total of 205/5. This knock is a massive milestone for Rohera's career evolution. He has historically been viewed by selectors as a long-format anchor. This was due to his world-record first-class debut score of 267 runs* for Madhya Pradesh back in 2018.
Who is Ajay Rohera? Former world-record debutant who smashed unbeaten 130 in MPL 2026
Ajay Rohera is 29 years old and was born on June 4, 1997, in a town called Dewas in Madhya Pradesh. His father runs an ice cream factory there. Ajay Rohera's name became famous across the globe in December 2018. He was just 21 years old when he played his first-ever first-class match for Madhya Pradesh against Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy. He scored 267 runs without getting out (not out). This broke a 24-year-old world record for the highest score by anyone making their debut in first-class cricket. The previous record was held by Mumbai cricket legend Amol Muzumdar, who scored 260 runs back in 1994. After that dream start, cricket became difficult for Ajay.
Over the next few years, his form dropped, and he found it hard to get a spot in the Madhya Pradesh team. Eventually, after four years, Madhya Pradesh stopped selecting him. For about a year, it looked like his professional career might be over. Instead of giving up, Rohera moved across the country to play for Pondicherry (Puducherry). This gave his career a second life. In November 2025, playing for Pondicherry against Delhi, he scored a brilliant 107 runs.It was his first century in seven long years since his world record. He celebrated so hard that he actually sprained his neck and needed the team doctor to come out and help him. When the Indian domestic season ends, Rohera travels to England to play club cricket. In 2023, he played for Golborne CC in Manchester, scoring an amazing 1,131 runs.
