The Indian Premier League (IPL) has unearthed a lot of young talent with immense potential over the years. It has served as a platform where one can shine and make a case to be selected for the Indian cricket team.
On April 28, 2023, in a match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), one such youngster announced his arrival.
Put in to bat first after losing the toss, LSG posted a mammoth 257-5 on the board at the end of their 20 overs. It was the second-highest total in the history of the League.
When PBKS lost their skipper Shikhar Dhawan in the first over itself, in came Atharva Taide. With his partner Prabhsimran Singh struggling at the other end, Taide chose to take matters in his own hands and give his team a chance in the run chase.
The southpaw stitched a promising 78-run partnership with Sikandar Raza for the 3rd wicket. His innings came to an end on the last ball of the 13th over when he was caught and bowled by Ravi Bishnoi.
The 23-year-old scored 66 runs off just 36 deliveries, with a healthy strike rate of 183.33. Although his innings couldn’t help PBKS chase the 258-run target down, it certainly showed that he is a player who can thrive under pressure.
Not many knew who Taide was before this innings. In the previous three innings for PBKS, he had scored a total of just 33 runs, although at a strike rate of 150.
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So who is Punjab Kings’ latest prodigy, Atharva Taide? Let’s find out.
Which state is Atharva Taide from?
Atharva Taide hails from Maharashtra. He was born in the Akola region of Maharashtra on April 26, 2000 and is a resident of Nagpur.
Which Ranji team does Atharva Taide play for?
Atharva Taide plays for Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy. He made his first-class debut with Vidarbha on December 22, 2018, against Gujarat. He opened the innings and scored 12 runs in the first innings. He also bowled one over each in both innings.
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Five facts about Atharva Taide
- Favourite cricketers – ABD and Virat Kohli: A left-handed batter, Taide's favourite cricketers are former Indian captain Virat Kohli and South African legend Ab de Villiers.
- Shares a unique record with Yuvraj Singh: Taide gained recognition in 2018 when he scored a triple hundred against Madhya Pradesh in the Cooch Behar Trophy final. Only one other player, a left-hander by the name of Yuvraj Singh, has accomplished that feat. Courtesy of the triple ton, Taide was chosen to compete in the 2018 Emerging Teams Asia Cup.
- A cricket fan since his childhood days: In an interview, his father Yayati Taide said that his son was always fond of cricket. “Atharva had many toys when he was little, but only the plastic bat was the most favorite of Atharva,” his father revealed.
- Captained Vidarbha’s U19 team: Taide captained Vidarbha’s U19 team for the Cooch Behar Trophy. He was also a part of the Vidarbha U23 winning team in the 2019-20 season.
- Turned down UK clubs: Taide turned down contracts from three UK clubs and waited for an IPL contract. The youngster had attracted attention of multiple clubs as he was the top scorer, with 1170 runs, for the ECB Nothern League, first division.
