Centuries in cricket are always special, as they provide a sense of achievement for a batter. And centuries are cherished for the lifetime of a cricketer’s career.
But have you ever heard of a maiden century? What does that mean? And when does a batter score it?
In this article, let’s understand what a maiden century means in cricket.
Maiden Century in Cricket
Simply put, when a batter scores their first century in any format of the game, be it international or domestic, it is referred to as a maiden century.
Now it’s not necessary that a batter has to score a hundred in their first match. It can come up in any match, but it should be their first ton in a particular format.
For example, Shubman Gill made his debut for India in ODIs in 2019, but he scored his first ODI hundred in August 2022 against Zimbabwe.
Now that you know about a maiden century, let’s understand its importance for a batter.
Also Read | 5 Scintillating Batting Debuts the Cricketing World Witnessed!
Importance of a Maiden Century
Scoring a century is like a milestone in a cricketer’s career, and batters want to score as many as they can. Smashing their first hundred on a big stage is like a dream come true, and it also indicates their calibre.
A maiden century holds significance as it helps batters establish themselves in the game. Moreover, a player can never forget about their first hundred, no matter against which opposition it came.
When a batter scores a maiden Test century, it gives a surreal feeling as the format tests a batter’s temperament and skills. An ODI century is also at the same level, given players have to balance between anchoring and accelerating their innings as per the game situation. And a maiden century in the T20I format is like the cherry on top, as a few batters hit a ton in the shortest format.
Also Read | Can All 3 Cricket Formats Coexist in the Future?
Final Words
Achieving a first landmark in cricket is always special and memorable, be it a first run or a first wicket. Hitting a maiden century also comes under that, and every batter eagerly waits for that moment to arrive in their career.
