Vaibhav Suryavanshi blitz powers India to six-wicket win over England, go 1-0 up in U19 ODI series

Hove: Fresh from their exploits in the IPL, young guns Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre blazed with the bat after a tidy bowling performance as India defeated England by six wickets in the first Youth ODI of their Under-19 tour here on Friday.

India’s bowling unit, led by the spin duo of Kanishk Chouhan (3/20) and Mohamed Enaan (2/37), along with seamers RS Ambrish (2/24) and Henil Patel (2/41), combined superbly to bowl England out for 174 in 42.2 overs despite a fighting fifty by Rocky Flintoff (56 from 90 balls).

Chasing 175, India got off to a blazing start courtesy of Suryavanshi and Mhatre, who raced to 70 without loss in just seven overs but after their departure vice-captain Abhigyan Kundu sealed the chase with 45 not out (34 balls; 4x4, 1x6).

India won the game in just 24 overs to go 1-0 up in the five match series.

There will be two Youth Tests beginning July 12 after the ODI series.

Donning the iconic No 18 jersey, 14-year-old Suryavanshi, who had lit up IPL 2025 with 252 runs in seven matches for Rajasthan Royals including a record-breaking 35-ball hundred against Gujarat Titans, looked in ominous touch.

He hammered three sixes off Jack Home in the sixth over, then tore into James Minto to reach 48 off just 18 balls.

But his whirlwind knock ended on the next ball when he top-edged a slog sweep off left-arm spinner Ralphie Albert and was caught by Tazeem Chaudry Ali.

Skipper Mhatre, who scored 240 runs for Chennai Super Kings including a 48-ball 84 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, shifted gears after Suryavanshi’s dismissal, hitting back-to-back boundaries off AM French.

But the Mumbai boy perished soon after, caught by Rocky while trying to go over extra cover.

India briefly stumbled, losing both openers within eight runs and then Maulyarajsinh Chavda (16) in the 13th over to French, but with no scoreboard pressure, the visitors coasted home comfortably.

Earlier, England looked set for a big total after opener Isaac Mohammed launched a ferocious assault, smashing 42 off 28 balls with three fours and four sixes.

But once Patel dismissed BJ Dawkins (18), and Enaan removed Isaac just short of his fifty, the innings lost momentum.

The hosts slid from 76/1 to 86/4 as Ambrish struck twice in quick succession to remove Ben Mayes (16) and skipper Thomas Rew (5).

Rocky, the youngest son of Andrew Flintoff, battled on with a resolute fifty with three fours and as many sixes, trying to rebuild with the lower order.

But wickets kept tumbling around him. Chouhan’s tidy spell accounted for Joseph Moores, Ralphie Albert and James Minto, while Enaan returned to dismiss Ali.

Flintoff’s resistance ended when he fell to Patel trying to up the ante, bringing an end to England’s innings in the 43rd over.

Brief scores:

England U-19: 174 all out in 42.2 overs (Rocky Flintoff 56, Isaac Mohammed 42; Kanishk Chouhan 3/20, Mohamed Enaan 2/37, RS Ambrish 2/24, Henil Patel 2/41) lost to India U-19: 178/4 in 24 overs (Vaibhav Suryavanshi 48, Abhigyan Kundu 45 not out, Ayush Mhatre 21) by six wickets.