India clinched its sixth U-19 World Cup title on Friday, defeating England in a thrilling final held at the Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe. The victory was largely powered by a record-breaking innings from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose explosive batting performance set the stage for India's triumph.
India U19s, captained by Ayush Mhatre, won the toss and elected to bat first. The decision proved fruitful as the team amassed a formidable total of 411/9 in their 50 overs, the highest ever recorded in an U-19 World Cup final. This monumental score was largely due to Sooryavanshi's spectacular innings.
The 14-year-old Sooryavanshi, representing Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, tore into the English attack with a breathtaking 175 off just 80 balls. His innings, the highest individual score in an U-19 World Cup final, was studded with 15 fours and 15 sixes, achieving a phenomenal strike rate of 218.75. Sooryavanshi's century came off just 55 balls, which is among the fastest centuries in U-19 World Cup history. He also broke the record for the most sixes in an U-19 World Cup edition.
Sooryavanshi's dominance was such that at one stage, his score alone constituted a significant portion of the team's total. Despite India experiencing a mini-collapse following Sooryavanshi's dismissal, Kanishk Chauhan's quickfire 37 off 20 balls ensured that India reached a record total.
In response, the England U19 team, led by Thomas Rew, put up a fight, but they were ultimately bowled out for 311. Caleb Falconer's remarkable century (115 off 67 balls) provided some resistance, but it wasn't enough to counter India's formidable total. The English chase faltered significantly after a promising start, losing six wickets for 84 runs. R.S. Ambrish spearheaded the Indian bowling attack, claiming three wickets, while Deepesh Devendran and Kanishk Chouhan took two wickets each. Khilan Patel and captain Ayush Mhatre also contributed with a wicket each.
This victory marks India's sixth U-19 World Cup title, solidifying their dominance in the competition. India remained undefeated throughout the tournament, demonstrating their composure and skill. The win also set a world record for the largest margin of victory in terms of runs in an U-19 World Cup final.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's exceptional innings will be remembered as one of the greatest ever played in the U-19 World Cup, drawing comparisons to Kapil Dev's historic knock in the 1983 World Cup. His performance not only secured India's victory but also etched his name in the record books, marking him as a player to watch in the future.