Maharashtra to bear all expenses for teen cricket prodigy

IMPRESSED BY TEENAGE CRICKET PRODIGY Pranav Dhanawade's international record-busting performance, the Maharashtra government has decided to foot all his educational and coaching expenses, state Education Minister Vinod Tawde said in Mumbai on Tuesday.

"Pranav's spectacular performance scoring over 1000 runs and creating a new world record, is indeed a matter of great pride for the entire state and the whole country," Tawde said in a congratulatory message.

The minister said that the state government offers all help to the 15-year-old Thane schoolboy and ensure his complete coaching in cricket through the sports department.

"We shall offer assistance to Pranav for his further education and cricket coaching," Tawde assured after speaking with the cricket hero's father and congratulating him.

A Class 10 (SSC) student of K.C. Gandhi High School in Kalyan, (Thane district), Pranav entered the record books by becoming the first batsman ever to score 1,000-plus runs in an innings when he reached 1,009 not out in an H.T. Bhandari Cup Under-16 inter-school cricket tournament.

Son autorickshaw driver Prashant, Pranav was batting against Arya Gurukul School in the tournament organised by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) for the benefit of suburban schools.

Pranav's epic 323-ball knock consisted of a staggering 59 sixes and 129 fours. His team declared the innings at 1,465 for 6 with Pranav remaining unbeaten on 1,009. He batted for 395 minutes and had a strike rate of 312.38.

The youngster broke a 116-year-old record after surpassing 652 on Monday, thus taking over the reins of the highest individual score (including minor cricket) from A.E.J Collins of England.

Collins held the record since 1899 when he struck an unbeaten 628 for Clark House against North Town House in England.

On Monday, the Thane teenager also crossed Prithvi Shaw's innings of 546 scored two years ago in a Harris Shield match, an innings that had previously been the highest individual score in any form of cricket in India.