India's teenage cricket prodigy, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, aged just 14, showcased his extraordinary talent in the Under-19 World Cup final against England. With a breathtaking 175 runs from 80 balls, he became the youngest player to achieve this feat in the history of the tournament. Suryavanshi's performance was nothing short of remarkable, as he hit an astonishing 15 sixes and 15 fours at a strike rate of 218.75. This incredible display of batting prowess lasted for 126 minutes, until England seamer Manny Lumsden dismissed him in the 26th over, leaving India with a formidable total of 411-9 from 50 overs. This total is the fifth highest in U19 World Cup history and a record for a final, surpassing Australia's 253-7 in the 2024 final. Suryavanshi's World Cup tally now stands at 439 runs in seven innings at an impressive average of 62.71, making him the tournament's leading run-scorer by a margin of four runs over Afghanistan's Faisal Khan. His innings also etched several records: it was the highest score in an Under-19 World Cup final, surpassing Unmukt Chand's 111* for India in the 2012 final against Australia. Additionally, it became the ninth highest score in the history of youth ODIs, with South Africa's Jorich van Schalkwyk holding the distinction of being the only player to achieve a double century. Suryavanshi's knock was the sixth-highest individual score in the history of all matches played at U19 World Cups. He also set a new record for the most sixes (15) in a youth ODI innings, surpassing his own previous record of 14 against the United Arab Emirates at last year's U19 Asia Cup. The 15 sixes he hit is the highest number in an Under-19 World Cup innings, with only two other players managing double digits. Suryavanshi's century off 55 balls is the second fastest in U19 World Cups, behind Will Malajczuk's 51-ball hundred for Australia against Japan earlier in this year's tournament. This is not the first time Suryavanshi has made headlines. In April last year, he became a global sensation when he smashed his first ball in the Indian Premier League for six. He then became the youngest player to hit a century in men's T20s when he made a 35-ball hundred for Rajasthan Royals against Gujarat Titans. This was also the second-fastest century in IPL history, behind Chris Gayle's 30-ball ton in 2013. In July 2025, Suryavanshi struck what was then the fastest recorded century in a youth ODI, making 143 from 78 balls as India beat England by 55 runs at Worcester. He took 52 balls to reach three figures, bettering Kamran Ghulam's 53-ball effort for Pakistan against England in 2013. Four months later, he struck a 32-ball century in India A's victory against the United Arab Emirates in their Asia Cup Rising Stars T20 match, eventually dismissed for 144 from 42 balls. Listeners can enjoy the ball-by-ball commentary of the final on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, available on the BBC Sport website and app.
