The India U19 team is set to face England U19 in the final match of their five-match ODI series, with all eyes on the young batting sensation, Vaibhav Suryavanshi. India has already secured the series with a 3-1 lead, but will be aiming for a dominant 4-1 finish. The final ODI will be held at New Road, Worcester.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi has been the standout performer of the series, grabbing headlines with his record-breaking performances. In the fourth ODI, the 14-year-old prodigy smashed the fastest century in Youth ODIs, reaching the milestone in just 52 balls. He surpassed the previous record held by Pakistan's Kamran Ghulam. Suryavanshi went on to score 143 runs off 78 deliveries, which included 13 fours and 10 sixes. Vihaan Malhotra also contributed with a century, scoring 129 runs, as India posted a total of 363/9 in 50 overs. In reply, England U19 were bowled out for 308 in 45.3 overs, with Rocky Flintoff, son of Andrew Flintoff, scoring a century. Naman Pushpak took three wickets for India.
Suryavanshi's explosive batting has been a major highlight of the series. In the third ODI, he narrowly missed out on a century, scoring 86 runs off just 31 balls, including six fours and nine sixes. His half-century came in just 20 balls, the second-fastest by an Indian in Youth ODIs, only behind Rishabh Pant's 18-ball fifty. Suryavanshi's nine sixes in that innings also broke the Indian record for the most maximums in a Youth ODI.
Looking ahead to the final match, Suryavanshi has expressed his desire to score a double century. He stated that he was disappointed to get out on 143 in the fourth ODI and aims to play all 50 overs in the next match to score as many runs as possible for the team. Suryavanshi draws inspiration from senior India batter Shubman Gill and aims to emulate his ability to keep scoring even after reaching milestones.
Suryavanshi's talent was first recognized when he became the youngest player to score an international century, scoring 104 off 62 balls in an India Under-19's Youth Test against Australia in Chennai in October 2024. He then became the youngest player to be signed in the IPL, with Rajasthan Royals securing him for Rs 1.1 crore after a bidding war. In the 2025 IPL season, he made headlines by smashing a 35-ball century for Rajasthan Royals against Gujarat Titans, the second-fastest in IPL history.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has praised Suryavanshi's exceptional performances and suggested that he could soon be fast-tracked into the national team. With one match left in the series, India U19 will aim to finish the tour on a high, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi will be looking to continue his impressive form and achieve his goal of scoring a double century.
The final match of the series is scheduled to start at 3:30 PM IST.
