{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Kushal Malla breaks into top five youngest T20I centurions, France's Gustav Mekon leads the pack",
  "summary": "South Africa's Pretorius smashed a century against Namibia to seal the team's first-ever T20I win over them, but six batters from outside the full member nations reached three figures even younger, with Nepal's Kushal Malla's unbeaten 137 remaining the biggest score under 20.",
  "content": "South Africa's Pretorius tore into the Namibian bowling attack in a tri-series contest, smashing a rapid 101 off just 53 balls. That knock proved decisive as South Africa recorded their maiden T20 International win over Namibia.\n\nA breakthrough win over Namibia\nThe victory carried extra weight because Namibia had won both of their previous meetings against South Africa in stunning upsets. Pretorius's explosive innings finally ended that streak and carried his side to a memorable win.\n\nYoungest among full members, but only seventh overall\nThe century made Pretorius the youngest centurion among ICC full member nations, the countries that play all formats of international cricket. But looking at the wider world of T20 cricket, six batters had already reached three figures at an even younger age before him. All six were teenagers, having scored their centuries before turning 20, though none of their teams are classified as full members.\n\nSixth: Serbia's Brethin Pekic\nSerbia's Brethin Pekic scored his T20I century at the age of 19 years and 210 days. In 2025, he smashed 102 runs off just 42 balls against Slovenia to steer his team to a memorable win, placing him sixth on the list of youngest centurions.\n\nFifth: Nepal's Kushal Malla, and the biggest score under 20\nNepal's Kushal Malla sits fifth on the list, but holds a record of his own. At the 2023 Asian Games, he blitzed an unbeaten 137 against Mongolia, a knock that stunned the cricketing world. What made it even more remarkable was that no bowler could dismiss him throughout the innings. He was 19 years and 206 days old at the time, and his knock remains the highest individual score by any batter under the age of 20.\n\nFourth: Botswana's Monrox Kaselman\nBotswana's Monrox Kaselman reached his century at 19 years and 203 days of age, scoring 102 runs against Ivory Coast to take fourth spot on the list.\n\nThird: Canada's Yuvraj Samra\nCanada's opening batter Yuvraj Samra takes third place after scoring 110 runs against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup. He was just 19 years and 141 days old at the time.\n\nSecond: Nigeria's Saleem Salau\nNigeria's Saleem Salau is the second-youngest centurion in T20 International cricket. He achieved the feat at the age of 19 years and 30 days, scoring 112 runs against Ivory Coast.\n\nTop of the list: France's Gustav Mekon\nTopping the entire list is France's Gustav Mekon. In 2022, he made history by scoring a century against Switzerland at the age of just 18 years and 280 days. His innings of 109 runs still stands unmatched, he remains the only batter in the world to have scored a T20 International century before turning 19.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThis news has no direct effect on your wallet, but it matters a great deal to cricket fans and anyone following associate nations' cricket.\n\n• For cricket fans: The list shows that young batters from associate nations are now playing genuinely explosive T20 innings. Keep an eye on these emerging players in upcoming World Cup qualifiers or tri-series events.\n• For cricket fans in Nepal: Kushal Malla's unbeaten 137 is a major source of pride for Nepali cricket. It raises hopes for continued investment in young talent there.\n• For fantasy cricket players: These young batters now have record-breaking innings to their name. Check their recent form and match conditions before picking them in fantasy teams for upcoming games.\n• For followers of associate cricket: Performances from batters in Serbia, Botswana, Nigeria and France show the game is growing fast beyond the traditional cricketing nations, making it worth following their matches more closely.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. How many runs did Pretorius score against Namibia?\nPretorius scored 101 runs off 53 balls.\n\n2. How did South Africa win against Namibia?\nPretorius's century powered South Africa to their first-ever T20I win over Namibia, after Namibia had won both of their previous two encounters.\n\n3. Who has the biggest T20I innings by a batter under 20?\nNepal's Kushal Malla scored an unbeaten 137 against Mongolia at the 2023 Asian Games, the highest score by anyone under 20.\n\n4. Who is the youngest batter to score a T20I century?\nFrance's Gustav Mekon holds the record, scoring 109 runs against Switzerland at the age of 18 years and 280 days.\n\n5. Is Pretorius the youngest ever T20I centurion?\nNo, he is only the youngest among ICC full member nations; six batters worldwide reached a century at an even younger age.\n\n6. When and against whom did Serbia's Brethin Pekic score his century?\nPekic scored 102 runs off 42 balls against Slovenia in 2025.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/tinaeja-men-shataka-thokane-vale-ballebajon-ki-pheharista-men-kushal-malla-topa-5-men-shamila-sabase-upara-france-ke-gustav-mekon-28145",
  "category": "Cricket",
  "publishedAt": "2026-09-05",
  "tags": [
    "T20 International",
    "Kushal Malla",
    "Pretorius",
    "South Africa Cricket",
    "Namibia Cricket",
    "Gustav Mekon",
    "Youngest Century",
    "Associate Cricket"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}