Young athlete from the UAE, Lokesh Reddy, demonstrated an impressive performance by scoring three hundred runs during the U15 Academy League 2026/2027 - Division A tournament, which is a prestigious junior cricket competition. This occurred on Saturday.
The fourteen-year-old batter, who batted as an opener, managed to score 300 runs off just 109 deliveries, utilizing 28 fours and 23 sixes. Thanks to this achievement, the Desert Cubs Lions team secured a convincing victory over ASN Sports Academy in the youth tournament with a score of 353:67.
Overall, Desert Cubs Lions managed to score an impressive 420 runs in 30 overs, while ASN Sports Academy was dismissed for 67 runs. However, it was Reddy who attracted attention with his epic three-hundred in the 30-over format game.
The coach and founder of Desert Cubs Cricket Academy, Presley Polonnovita, noted the uniqueness of this achievement, stating: '300 runs at any level is an exceptional feat. And in the 30-over format, it is incredibly unique and special.'
He emphasized that such performances are crucial for young players in the UAE aspiring to play cricket, as they inspire children to join cricket academies.
Polonnovita also mentioned that Reddy, one of the most promising young cricketers in the country, possesses the potential for consistently outstanding results. He added that for Lokesh, who is already participating in the ECB (Emirates Cricket Board) U16 camp, such a match will be a huge stimulus for his future. It is a great opportunity for selectors to assess the talent of a young player who could become an important part of the UAE's junior and senior cricket programs, as well as open doors for him to international opportunities.
A former Sri Lanka U19 international player, who played alongside legends such as Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya, and Marwan Atapattu, expressed hope that Reddy's unique feat would inspire young UAE cricketers to dream big. He believes that when children hear about a century or a three-hundred, they start wondering why they cannot do it themselves, which increases cricket awareness among the public and motivates young players to strive harder.
He concluded that this benefits cricket in the UAE, the player himself, and raises the prestige of the sport, noting that the Emirates Cricket Board National League is a good platform, and a three-hundred in such a tournament is a remarkable achievement.
Furthermore, Reddy's skills impressed former Australian Test player Joe Burns, who attended a training session at the academy to share advice with young UAE players. Reddy told Khaleej Times that Burns appreciated some of his good shots and pointed out areas for improvement. He also asked Burns many questions about mentality and how to approach the game when things go wrong.
Reddy, who is a big fan of Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkala, and David Warner, hails from Hyderabad, India, spends hours on training grounds not only to practice powerful shots but also to improve the discipline of his batting. He reported that he asks the coach to give him three or four new balls to bat continuously with, sometimes for 10 or 15 overs, to get used to the movement of a new red ball, which swings longer than a white one.
His main goal is to maximize his game and, ideally, play first-class cricket in the coming years, as he believes that first-class cricket is a true test of a batter's and bowler's skills, a game of patience where true abilities are tested.
