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3 min readUpdated: Feb 6, 2026 03:19 PM IST
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi slammed 80-ball 175 and struck 15 sixes and as many fours against England in U19 World Cup final. (PHOTO: ICC)
On the biggest stage of the Under-19 World Cup, with the title on the line and expectations weighing heavily, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced an innings that felt both timeless and startlingly fresh. The 14-year-old saved his most emphatic statement for the final, smashing an 80-ball 175 against England at Harare to seize complete control of the contest.
Sooryavanshi’s journey to the final had been marked by assurance rather than excess. Scores of 2, 72, 40, 52, 30 and 68 underlined his consistency, but the defining innings – the one that truly bent a game to his will – had remained elusive. In the final, under sunshine and scrutiny, the left-hander bridged that gap with a knock that blended composure, power and rare clarity of thought.
The southpaw lost his opening partner, Aaron George, in the fourth over, but remained unfazed by the dismissal. Once his timing clicked, the scoring gathered momentum without ever appearing frenetic. Fours pierced the infield, sixes cleared the rope with ease, and every stroke seemed chosen rather than improvised.
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What separated this innings from a routine power display was its control. There was no slogging, no wild swings born of pressure. Even as boundaries flowed, Sooryavanshi stayed balanced, head still, bat coming down cleanly. England’s bowlers tried altering lengths and speeds, but he read them early, adjusting with minimal fuss.
Spin, however, bore the brunt of his dominance. Sooryavanshi took special liking to Farhan Ahmed and Ralphie Albert, using his feet decisively and picking his scoring options with maturity well beyond his years. He went aerial confidently when the ball was tossed up, rocked back to punish anything short, and repeatedly found the gaps when England tightened the field.
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The hundred arrived in just 55 balls, but what followed truly elevated the innings. Instead of easing off, Sooryavanshi shifted gears with breathtaking clarity. He took only 16 more deliveries to surge from 100 to 150, racing to 151 off 71 balls as fours and sixes came in rapid succession. It was acceleration without chaos – power applied with precision.
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As the runs piled on, the absence of nerves was striking. For a batter so young, the ability to dominate a World Cup final while remaining so composed spoke volumes of his temperament and preparation. The clean striking, the sharp running, and the unerring shot selection combined to produce an innings of rare authority.
He eventually fell for a majestic 175 off 80 balls, an innings studded with 15 fours and 15 sixes, having lit up the Harare Sports Club with a display of power and poise that left the final firmly tilted in India’s favour.
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