IPL: 120* was a reward from God for hanging on to my dreams, says Paul Valthaty

Paul Valthaty will always remain etched in the minds of those who’s seen his blazing 63-ball 120 not out for Punjab Kings against MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings in the 2011 IPL at Mohali . It was a match-winning knock which catapulted him into stardom. “Obviously, the 120 not out was the most celebrated moment of my career.

I look at it this way that after all the troubles I went through with my eye injury, which happened when I was playing for the India in a 2002 Under-19 World Cup game against Bangladesh — a ball went through the gap of my helmet — it was a reward that God gave me for hanging on to my dreams and believing in myself despite all the vision problems I had after the injury, which I still have and will stay with me forever. I had to undergo and forego a lot to compete at a level which I wanted to and I’m extremely happy and a proud man that I could do it in the biggest tournament in the world — the IPL,” Valthaty tells TOI. The eye injury dogged the early part of Valthaty’s career.

“I had to undergo four-five laser surgeries. The retina in my right eye was completely ruptured. The doctor, with great level of expertise, managed to repair it as far as possible.

I had to change my batting completely in a way at the tender age of 17,” he reveals. "I played the IPL, Ranji Trophy and in the 2011 Challenger Trophy. So the eye injury didn’t stop me from having a career in cricket.

Hence, all of this makes me proud of myself," he asserts. After his heroic knock, Valthaty was in the race to be picked for India, but a wrist injury after that IPL season derailed his plans for an India cap. “I couldn’t represent the country.