ICC Under-19 World Cup: Sizzling Sooryavanshi helps Indian colts clinch record-extending sixth win

Batting prodigy Sooryavanshi played arguably the most dominant knock in the history of the U-19 World Cup with his blistering 80-ball 175.

Riding on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's blistering 175, India clinched the Under-19 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup for a record-extending sixth time with a thumping 100-run win over England in the final at Harare on Friday (February 6).

Batting prodigy Sooryavanshi played arguably the most dominant knock in the history of the U-19 World Cup, his 80-ball 175 with an astonishing 15 sixes propelling India to a record 411 for nine after opting to bat in the final at Harare on Friday.

Bruised and battered following Sooryavanshi's brutal onslaught, England's innings ended at 311 in 40.2 overs.

The triumph, which ensured India's continued dominance in the age-group showpiece, could be attributed to a robust domestic structure, vast talent pool, exposure to advanced coaching, high-quality preparation, and passion for the game among the country's youth.

India last won the tournament in 2022.

Once India crossed 400 in the final, they were the overwhelming favourites to emerge victorious, and that is exactly how the script panned out, with the bowlers performing as a collective outfit.

To some extent, the achievement bore resemblance to the exploits of world-class Indian U-19 teams of the past that featured the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, but this side led by Ayush Mhatre has carved a niche of its own, especially in terms of sheer ruthlessness, and no one exemplifies that better than that Sooryavanshi, who Sooryavanshi broke a plethora of records en route to his blistering knock.

The 14-year-old produced a knock for the ages and raced to the three-figure mark in a mere 55 balls to become the second fastest centurion in these tournaments.

This is the record for the best individual score in a U-19 World Cup final and is also the highest team total in the summit showdown of the tournament.

Sooryavanshi now also has the most sixes for anyone in a Youth ODI innings, surpassing his own 14 maximums against UAE at ICCA Dubai in December.

By clearing the ropes repeatedly, Sooryavanshi aggregated a staggering 22 sixes in this edition alone, leapfrogging South Africa's Dewald Brevis, whose record of 18 sixes had stood since 2022.

Sooryavanshi has also become the youngest centurion in the history of the tournament.

(with inputs from agencies)