Sooryavanshi’s historic 175 lights up U-19 World Cup final as India post 411/9

India’s teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed a record-breaking 175 off just 80 balls in the Under-19 World Cup final against England at the Harare Sports Club on Friday. The breathtaking knock not only powered India into a dominant 411/9 but also rewrote several records.

Sooryavanshi brought up his century off just 55 balls, making it the second-fastest hundred in Under-19 World Cup history. He went past Pakistan’s Qasim Akram (63 balls vs Sri Lanka in 2022), with only Australia’s Will Malajczuk ahead of him, who struck a 51-ball century against Japan earlier in the tournament.

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In the process, the 15-year-old from Bihar became the fastest Indian to score a century in Under-19 World Cup history, eclipsing Raj Angad Bawa’s 69-ball hundred against Uganda in 2022. He also became only the third Indian to score a century in an Under-19 World Cup final.

Batting with fearless intent on the biggest stage, Sooryavanshi showed no signs of pressure as he tore into the England bowling attack. He raced to his half-century off just 32 balls and needed only 23 more deliveries to complete his second fifty, underlining the brutality of his assault. His innings was studded with 15 fours and 15 sixes and came at a staggering strike rate of 218.75.

The 175 is now the highest individual score in an Under-19 World Cup final, surpassing Unmukt Chand’s long-standing record of 111 not out against Australia in the 2012 final. It is also the highest score by an Indian in Under-19 World Cup history, going past Raj Bawa’s 162 not out against Uganda in 2022.

Overall, the innings stands as the ninth-highest individual score in Youth ODI history, with Ambati Rayudu’s 177 not out against England in 2002 the only higher score by an Indian.

Sooryavanshi’s power-hitting set another benchmark as he finished with 15 sixes in the innings, the most ever in a Youth ODI and an Under-19 World Cup innings, surpassing his own previous record of 14 against UAE Under-19 in Dubai last December. He also broke Dewald Brevis’ record for the most sixes in a single Under-19 World Cup edition. Brevis had hit 22 sixes in 2022, while Sooryavanshi, who had already struck 15 coming into the final, matched that tally in the title clash alone to finish the tournament with a remarkable 30 sixes.

The young opener stitched together crucial partnerships to set up India’s dominance. He added 142 runs for the second wicket with captain Ayush Mhatre (53) and followed it up with an 89-run stand alongside Vedant Trivedi (32). Sooryavanshi finally departed in the 26th over, having produced what will be remembered as one of the greatest innings in the history of the Under-19 World Cup.

The final capped off a stellar tournament for Sooryavanshi, who is currently India’s leading run-scorer in the competition with 264 runs at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 147.49.

Among the other notable contributors were wicketkeeper-batter Abhigyan Kundu (40), Kanishk Chouhan (37 not out) and Vihaan Malhotra (30).