Youngest Men's player to score a T20I century

Finland witnessed a world record being broken at the third T20 World Cup 2024 Europe Sub-Regional Qualifier competition. Gustav McKeon of France, the opening batter, became the youngest male player to hit a T20I century at the age of 18 years and 280 days. He smashed five fours and nine sixes during his 61-ball 109 against Switzerland in Vantaa.

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Meanwhile, Nepal's Kushal Malla notched up an unbeaten 137* off just 50 balls in 2023 against Mongolia, having reached his century in a record 34 balls, eclipsing the previous mark of 35 balls jointly held by South Africa's David Miller and India's Rohit Sharma. While Malla was aged 19 years and 206 days when he created the record.

In addition to leading the tournament in runs with 185, McKeon also has a strike rate of 161 and an average of 92.50. McKeon's century followed a daring 76 from 54 balls against the Czech Republic.

Even after the century, McKeon's France fell short of completing the task and lost in a nail-biting final ball to their neighbours who had set a target of 158. Top-of-the-order batter Faheem Nazir of Switzerland took the lead with a 46-ball 67, and Ali Nayyer's heroics in the final over secured the dramatic triumph.

Nayyer scored 12 runs in the final three deliveries, including a boundary off the final ball to stun the French, bringing the pair's group stage standings to a tie at two points. Norway is in first place in Group 2 after two convincing wins against Estonia and the Czech Republic, who are yet to open their respective accounts.