India Clinches Sixth Under-19 World Cup Title in Dominant Fashion
India's Under-19 cricket team has secured its sixth Under-19 World Cup title, defeating England by a commanding 100 runs in the final held in Zimbabwe. The historic victory unfolded at the Harare Sports Club, propelled by an extraordinary individual batting performance from India's Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
The 14-year-old opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was the architect of India's triumph, scoring a record-setting 175 runs in the final.
Match Overview
India, after winning the toss, elected to bat first and posted a formidable total. The team amassed 9-411 from its allotted 50 overs, setting a daunting target for England.
In response, England's chase faltered, as they were eventually bowled out for 311 runs in 40.2 overs. This resulted in India's decisive 100-run victory.
For India, captain Ayush Mhatre contributed a valuable 53 runs to the team's imposing total. England's batting effort saw notable individual scores, with Caleb Falconer striking 115 runs off just 67 balls, while Ben Dawkins added 66 runs.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Masterclass
The highlight of the final was undoubtedly Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's breathtaking innings. The fourteen-year-old Indian opener blazed his way to 175 runs off only 80 balls, achieving an astonishing strike rate of 218.75.
His innings was a spectacle of power-hitting, featuring 15 fours and 15 sixes, with a remarkable 150 runs originating solely from boundaries. Sooryavanshi reached his half-century in 32 balls, quickly followed by his century in an additional 23 balls, and then sprinted to 150 runs in just another 16 balls. His monumental effort concluded when India was at the 25.3-over mark, having already inflicted significant damage.
Records and Achievements
Sooryavanshi's sensational 175-run innings did more than just win the match; it rewrote the record books. He established a new record for the highest individual total in an ICC global final, surpassing Alyssa Healy's 170 runs in the 2022 Women's World Cup final.
His century, reached in 55 balls, marked the second-fastest century in the tournament, trailing only Will Malajczuk's 51-ball hundred achieved earlier in the competition. Furthermore, his 15 sixes in the final set a new record for the most maximums in a youth One Day International (ODI) innings, breaking his own previous record of 14 sixes.
Sooryavanshi's exceptional performances throughout the tournament earned him the prestigious Player of the Tournament award. He concluded the competition with an impressive tally of 439 runs, including three half-centuries and his century in the final, at a remarkable average of 62.71.
This prodigious talent had previously made headlines by becoming the youngest centurion in men's professional cricket, scoring 101 runs from 38 balls for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in April of the previous year, at the tender age of 14 years and 32 days. His prior standout scores also include 113 runs off 86 balls during India's Under-19 tour of Australia.