Marcus Stoinis
The man with the golden bat continued with his prolific run-scoring in the ongoing Big Bash League on Sunday to score a sensational and unbeaten 147 for the Melbourne Stars in what is now the highest-ever individual score in BBL history.
Stoinis remained invincible throughout his knock in the top of the table clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, bringing off his century in just 60 deliveries before surpassing D'Arcy Short's previous record of 122. He capped off the innings with a six over backward square leg, hence walking off the ground with 147* in 78 deliveries.
The century is Stoinis' is first ever in T20 cricket and the second of this ongoing BBL season. Stoinis' 147* is however the 13th highest score in T20 history. And the 79 balls he faced during his knock is the joint-highest of any T20 innings, levelling with compatriot Aaron Finch's 131* off 79 for Surrey against Sussex in 2018. Meanwhile, his eight sixes during the innings is the most by a batsman at the MCG in a T20 innings. Stoinis' previous best T20 score was 99 which he had scored in December 2017.
“By that reaction it meant a lot to him,” Shane Warne said on Fox Cricket. “He really wanted to do it for his team at the MCG.
“We’ve seen how well he’s done this year at the top of the order. He can bat anywhere in this form of the game, he’s a super player.”
Stonis, along with his opening partner Hilton Cartwright also scripted the record for the highest opening stand in BBL history, going past Rob Quiney and Luke Wright’s 172 in the competition’s inaugural season. The pair scored 207 runs on Sunday as Stars finished with 219 on the board - their highest BBL total and the highest BBL total at MCG
Earlier last month, Stoinis was roped in by Delhi Capitals for INR 4.8 crores for IPL 2020 season.
