Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma scored a magnificent hundred in the IPL 2026 match against the Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on April 20. The southpaw led the charge, taking the score to 199/5 in their allotted 20 overs. He faced 45 balls to reach his first IPL century, expressing his gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support. Throughout his innings, Varma showcased his mastery, hitting 8 boundaries and 7 sixes with a strike rate of 224.44, leaving the opposition searching for a counterattack.Tilak’s spectacular achievement brought him level with former Mumbai Indians’ captain, Sanath Jayasuriya’s, record. He also equalled the Joint fastest century by a Mumbai batter in the history of the league, a feat initially achieved by Jayasuriya in IPL 2008. The record was made possible by Varma’s aggressive batting style. At one stage, Mumbai Indians found themselves at 103/4 after 14 overs. It was then that Tilak decided to unleash his full fury upon the Gujarat Titans bowlers, striking 26 runs off 18 balls bowled by Ashok Sharma. His score soared from 19 to 75 after facing 38 deliveries, displaying his exceptional skill. He further added 25 runs with a few well-placed fours and sixes off the 20th over bowled by Prasidh Krishna. GT won the toss and Shubman Gill, the Gujarat Titans captain, elected to bowl first after assessing the conditions. The opposing captain, Hardik Pandya, preferred to bowl first, hoping to gain an upper hand in the match. The two debutants, Danish Malewar and Krish Bhagat from Mumbai Indians, showcased their talent in the high-profile game. MI Captain, Hardik Pandya’s Playing XI comprised the following players: Danish Malewar, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (captain), Tilak Varma, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Krish Bhagat, Jasprit Bumrah and AM Ghazanfar.Mumbai Indians also had some key subs for this match, which are: Raj Bawa, Ashwani Kumar, Corbin Bosch, Mayank Rawat and Raghu Sharma.The Gujarat Titans’ initial playing XI comprised the following: Shubman Gill (captain), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, and Ashok Sharma. Some impactful subs, such as Rahul Tewatia, Jason Holder, Manav Suthar, and Kuldeep Yadav, formed the reserve team for the match. As both teams take on each other in the thrilling cricket tournament, it will be intriguing to observe the development of their game and uncover the secrets to their success.