Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s blistering start gave India the perfect launchpad in their U19 World Cup 2026 semi-final against Afghanistan at the Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe on Wednesday.
Chasing a stiff 311, the 14-year-old left-hander smashed a blistering 68 off 33 balls, scoring at 206.06 and peppering the boundary with nine fours and four sixes.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who represents Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, began cautiously with seven off his first nine deliveries.
Once set, he shifted through the gears in trademark fashion, dismantling Wahidullah Zadran with two fours and a six in the fourth over. He continued to dominate the pacer in his next over as India surged to 55/0 in six overs.
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Sooryavanshi clubbed 18 runs off the seventh over and raced to his 24-ball half-century with a six. He eventually perished to a short ball, but his assault had already powered India to 90 inside 10 overs.
This was Sooryavanshi’s third fifty of the tournament, following his knocks of 52 against Zimbabwe and 72 against Bangladesh.
He remains India’s leading run-scorer at the U19 World Cup, with 264 runs at an average of 44.00 and a strike rate of 147.48.
Earlier this month, Vaibhav had captained the Indian U19 side to a commanding 3-0 away Youth ODI series win over South Africa in Benoni, leading from the front in his maiden assignment as junior national team captain.
The Rajasthan Royals opener finished the series as the leading scorer with 206 runs from three innings, including a half-century in the second match and a century in the decider.
He had also warmed up for the U19 World Cup with a Player of the Match performance, smashing a 50-ball 96 against Scotland in India’s first warm-up game.
