Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest batter to score a hundred in an ICC U19 World Cup match after the Indian opener scored his first-ever in the tournament in just 55 balls against England in the final at the Harare Sports Club. Playing his first U19 World Cup, Suryavanshi got starts throughout the tournament but failed to make it big.
The southpaw delivered when it mattered after India captain Ayush Mhatre opted to bat first in the summit clash as the Boys in Blue seek record sixth title. Before Suryavanshi, Bangladesh’s Najmul Hossain Shanto held the record for youngest centurion at 15 years and 165 days. Suryavanshi is aged at 14 years and 316 days at the time of scoring his hundred.
In the process, Suryavanshi also became the third Indian to score a hundred in an U19 World Cup final. Previously, Unmukt Chand (111 not out in 2012 final against Australia) and Manjot Kalra (101 not out in 2018 final against Australia) held the record. India won both the finals.
He was finally dismissed for 175 off 80 balls, studded with 15 fours and 15 sixes. After reaching his three figures in just 55 balls, Suryavanshi needed just 16 more balls to score his next fifty. In the process, Suryavanshi England’s Ben Mayes (against Scotland in 98 balls) for the fastest 150 at the U19 level in just 71 balls.
Earlier in the season, Suryavanshi had smashed the fastest List A 150 in just 59 balls in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, getting better of South African legend AB de Villiers (who had scored one in just 64 balls against West Indies in 2015 World Cup). His fastest youth ODI hundred remains a 52-ball knock against England last year in a bilateral series.
Suryavanshi’s hundred was also the second-fastest hundred in an U19 World Cup behind Australia’s Will Malajczuk. While Suryavanshi scored his hundred in 55 balls, Malajczuk had reached his three figures four balls earlier than the Indian against Japan earlier in the tournament.
His tally of 15 sixes in an innings also is the most in an youth ODI innings, bettering his own record of 14 against UAE during the U19 Asia Cup last December. In the U19 World Cup, Suryavanshi bettered Australian duo of Michael Hill (12 in 2008 against Namibia) and Craig Simmons (11 in 2002 against Kenya) for most sixes in an innings.
Suryavanshi, Mhatre destroy England
Earlier, batting first, India were off to a poor start as they lost last match’s centurion Aaron George. But thereafter, it was all about Suryavanshi and captain Ayush Mhatre who took the game away from the opposition with a 142-run stand in just 90 balls for the second wicket.
Although Mhatre lost his wicket for 53, Suryavanshi continued his carnage with a 89-run stand with Vedant Trivedi for the third wicket. At the time of Suryavanshi’s dismissal, India were 251/3 in 25.3 overs.
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