While most of the discussions around the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, starting from tomorrow (February 7), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi suddenly came under the spotlight by smashing a mighty 175-run in the final of the U-19 World Cup on February 6 at the Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe against England.
In the biggest stage of the U-19 cricket, the Bihar-born’s century is officially the greatest knock in the history of U-19 cricket. The southpaw came to open the innings and batted with his usual flair, toying with the opposition team bowlers. Needless to say, while playing the innings, Vaibhav shattered multiple all-time records as well, which proved again why the opener is considered a generational talent.
14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi who just refreshed the record book
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 14, took only 80 balls to register the mammoth 175-run knock as he sent the ball a total of 30 times to the boundary, including 15 fours and 15 sixes. Because of the monstrous batting performance, his strike rate reads 218.75. It is necessary to remember that the batter becomes India’s highest run-scorer in all Youth ODI cricket. He has batted 25 times.
Sooryavanshi’s innings was decorated with a staggering number of 15 sixes, which is itself an all-time record in U19 World Cup cricket. Before the Indian prodigy, it was Australia’s Michael Hill who was holding the record of hitting the most maximums (12) in a U19 World Cup innings.
If we consider Youth ODI, then Sooryavanshi broke his own record as soon as he sent the ball for the 15th time over the rope in today’s match, surpassing his own 14 against UAE U19 at ICCA Dubai in December.
Most sixes in a U19 WC innings:
15* – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (IND) vs ENG, Harare, 2026
12 – Michael Hill (AUS) vs NAM, Penang, 2008
11 – Craig Simmons (AUS) vs. KEN, Dunedin, 2002
There were not too many batters who bagged a ton in the U19 World Cup Finals. Former India Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand was among the batters who claimed a hundred-plus-run innings in the summit clash. Vaibhav put Unmukt behind as well in the record tally.
Hundreds in U19 WC finals:
175 – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (IND) vs ENG, Harare, 2026
111* – Unmukt Chand (IND) vs AUS, Townsville, 2012
108 – Brett Williams (AUS) vs. PAK, Adelaide, 1988
107 – Stephen Peters (ENG) vs NZ, Johannesburg, 1998
101* – Manjot Kalra (IND) vs AUS, Mount Maunganui, 2018
100* – Jarrad Burke (AUS) vs SA, Lincoln, 2002
The current edition of the U-19 World Cup witnessed multiple mind-boggling knocks from batters from various nations. Sooryavanshi took only 55 balls to complete the century against England. But there was a batter from Australia who blazed to the landmark even faster in this tournament. Australia’s Will Malajczuk needed only 51 deliveries to etch his name in the record book.
Fastest U19 WC hundreds (by balls faced):
51 – Will Malajczuk (AUS) vs. Japan, Windhoek, 2026
55 – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (IND) vs ENG, Harare, 2026
63 – Qasim Akram (PAK) vs SL, North Sound, 2022
65 – Ben Mayes (ENG) vs SCOT, Harare, 2026
69 – Raj Bawa (IND) vs Uganda, Tarouba, 2022
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and a flurry of boundaries are almost symmetrical. In total, the left-handed batter registered a total of thirty 6s, surpassing current active senior-level cricketers like Dewald Brevis (South Africa), Finn Allen (New Zealand), and Nicholas Pooran (West Indies).
Most sixes in the U19 World Cup:
30 – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in 2026
18 – Dewald Brevis in 2022
18 – Finn Allen across 2016 and 2018
15 – Jack Burnham in 2016
14 – Michael Hill in 2008
14 – Nicholas Pooran in 2014
A few other records Sooryavanshi broke in the U-19 World Cup Final:
- Sooryavanshi now has the fastest U19 150 off 71 balls (where known), bettering the 98 balls taken by Ben Mayes (ENG) vs SCOT at the same venue earlier in the competition.
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi becomes the first batter to smash 100 sixes in Youth ODI history in the U19 World Cup final. The next best has 55.
Read More: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi terrorizes World Cricket with 55-ball ton in U19 WC Final
