Prithvi Shaw's 99 against KKR (Source: @SirJadeja/x.com)
When Prithvi Shaw emerged from Mumbai, the cricket world saw the reflection of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag together. A young batter who perfectly echoed Tendulkar’s brilliance with the added magic of Sehwag’s power-hitting, Indian cricket saw a future star in him.
But life never go by the plan; always, as Prithvi Shaw dropped from his peak to the deepest core. After controversies and snubs from the national side, Shaw hit rock bottom when the Delhi Capitals released him ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, the first IPL franchise he played for.
After missing out on the IPL 2025, Shaw turned those setbacks into fuel for a mighty comeback. Returning to the Capitals in 2026, he made the world watch as a hero’s homecoming. Flashback to 2019, when he scored a brilliant 99, falling just one run short of a century.
'Shaw’shbuckling 99 ends in heartbreak but sparks heroics
Talent makes stars, but a hero always emerges from the ashes. After making waves in domestic cricket and leading Team India towards the under-19 World Cup glory, the world found a glimpse of Sachin Tendulkar in Prithvi Shaw. After grabbing his first IPL contract with the Delhi Daredevils (currently Delhi Capitals) to making his Test debut, Prithvi saw the peak of his career.
But during the IPL 2025 mega auction, the batter faced the biggest heartbreak. As he was struggling with form, the Delhi Capitals released him, and he remained unsold during the auction. Yet, amid the disappointment, his unforgettable 99 in IPL 2019 stood tall as a flicker of hope in the darkest phase of his career.
During IPL 2019, Delhi Capitals met Kolkata Knight Riders in a group stage clash and were challenged to chase down a total of 186 runs. After Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw came to open, DC faced a setback after Dhawan walked away, scoring 16 runs.
After captain Shreyas Iyer joined Shaw, the Capitals got the boost they needed that time. The duo wreaked havoc on the KKR bowlers as Shaw crafted a fine fifty in 30 deliveries. The young opener dazzled in the game as the Arun Jaitley Stadium witnessed fireworks from him.
After half a half-century, Shaw locked his eyes on a deserving ton. Stitching a crucial 89-run stand with Iyer and a 54-run stand with Rishabh Pant, Shaw anchored Delhi’s innings. KKR bowler tried everything, but Shaw defied all the odds with brilliance until the 19th over.
Lockie Ferguson came to bowl the over, and the opener was standing on the brink of his first IPL ton. But in the third ball of the over, Ferguson bowled a short delivery, and Shaw misjudged the ball.
That misjudgment cost him big as he departed scoring 99 runs in 55 balls, smashing 12 fours and three sixes. He could’ve been the youngest centurion of IPL, but that one ball changed the whole story.
Shaw may have missed an IPL century, but the knock has been recorded as his best IPL score to date. After missing out last season, Shaw has now returned to the Delhi Capitals, the very franchise where his IPL story first began.
His omission from the cash-rich league in the last season stunned the world, but now he is set for a new start. After lighting up the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with fireworks, the star opener is ready to bring the same explosive magic back to the IPL’s biggest stage.
