Who is Mohammed Taha? 5 interesting facts about Karnataka opener who smashed two hundreds in two Maharaja Trophy 2025 matches 

The 2025 Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 began on August 11, and in its opening days, Hubli Tigers (HT) opener Mohammed Taha has stolen the spotlight by smashing centuries in back-to-back games.

In their season opener against the Shivamogga Lions, Taha produced a brilliant knock of 101 off 53 balls, studded with 10 fours and six sixes, guiding his side to a total of 216. Devdutt Padikkal’s men eventually sealed a 29-run victory.

In the very next game against the Bengaluru Blasters, chasing a stiff target of 226, Taha once again delivered a sensational performance, hammering 101 off 54 balls with nine fours and seven sixes. The Tigers clinched a thrilling two-wicket win off the final ball.

Across the two matches, the 31-year-old has piled up 202 runs at an average of 101 and a strike rate of 188.79, with both innings being centuries. As he continues to make waves in the 2025 Maharaja Trophy, here are five interesting facts about the Karnataka opener.

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5 interesting facts about Karnataka opener Mohammed Taha

#1 Made his Karnataka debut in the 2016 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

Opening batter Mohammed Taha made his Karnataka debut in the 2016 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Services. However, the right-hander had a forgettable outing, dismissed for a two-ball duck as Karnataka went on to lose the match by three wickets.

His last appearance for the side came in 2017 against Tamil Nadu in the Inter-State Twenty-20 Tournament, where he managed just five runs off six balls. Overall, he has represented Karnataka in five T20 matches, scoring 91 runs at an average of 18.20 and a strike rate of 109.63, with a highest score of 45.

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#2 Idolizes Kevin Pietersen, Ricky Ponting, and AB de Villiers

While Mohammed Taha may not be a household name and is yet to feature in the IPL, he has been a standout performer in Karnataka’s T20 leagues.

In a 2017 interview with Sportskeeda, he mentioned that his cricketing idols include former England batter Kevin Pietersen, Australian legend Ricky Ponting, and South African great AB de Villiers.

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#3 Bowled in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) nets in 2012

Mohammed Taha has built a reputation as an explosive right-handed batter at the top of the order. Still, his cricketing journey began as an off-spinner who could contribute in the lower middle order.

In the 2012 IPL season, he had the opportunity to bowl in the nets of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) camp, where he faced stars like Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, and AB de Villiers. That year, RCB narrowly missed out on a playoff berth, finishing fifth with 17 points.

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#4 Studied at Tunbridge High School and later graduated with a B.Com degree from Jain University

As reported by The Hindu, Mohammed Taha studied at Tunbridge High School and later completed a B.Com degree from Jain University.

He only took up cricket at the age of 16, when his father introduced him to the Karnataka Institute of Cricket (KIOC) and enrolled him in a training camp. Until then, he had never played the sport in any form.

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#5 Took a part-time coaching job to support his family following his father’s death

Mohammed Taha lost his father in 2015, and in a 2016 interview with The Hindu, he opened up about how life changed for him in the aftermath of that loss. He said:

“He was a timber merchant. After he died, I have had to provide for my mother and sister, while trying to focus on my cricket. Irfan Sait sir (KIOC Director) gave me a coaching job. This was very helpful as I was able to earn some extra money to take care of my family.”

Mohammed Taha will aim to carry forward his impressive form from the first two games of the Maharaja Trophy 2025 and turn this season into a memorable one for himself and his team.