Vaibhav Suryavanshi's Thunderous 86 Powers India U19 to Series Lead Over England U19

Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi continued his red-hot form with the bat in jaw-dropping fashion, smashing a breathtaking 86 off just 31 balls as India clinched a thrilling four-wicket win over England in the rain-shortened third U19 Youth ODI in Northampton. The result gives India a 2-1 lead in the five-match series — but despite his heroics, the young star left the field deeply disappointed.

Why? Because he knew he’d left a century on the table. 

Suryavanshi had flirted with big scores in the first two games, falling in the 40s both times. This time, he went berserk from the get-go. The left-hander launched an all-out assault on the English attack, clearing the boundary rope with ease and frequency. His knock included nine towering sixes — a new record for an Indian batter in U19 ODIs, breaking Mandeep Singh’s previous record of eight. 

At one stage, Suryavanshi had blasted India to 111 runs inside the first eight overs of the chase, completely dismantling the hosts’ early momentum. His strike rate of 277.41 was just outrageous, and England had no answers to the fearless aggression. He also struck six boundaries during his blistering innings. And yet, when he was finally dismissed — caught by Joseph Moores off Alexander Wade — the teenager was inconsolable. Despite delivering one of the most entertaining knocks of his young career, Suryavanshi took his time to leave the field. The near-miss of a hundred, after coming so close in the previous matches, clearly weighed heavy on his mind. 

“I should’ve finished it,” was the sentiment that seemed to hang around his shoulders as he walked back. Following his dismissal, the Indian innings did stumble a bit during the middle overs. England found some momentum, sensing an opening. But any hopes of a collapse were soon dashed as Kanishk and Ambrish took charge. The pair steadied the ship with maturity, kept the scoreboard ticking, and eventually guided India home with more than five overs to spare. 

England had earlier posted 268/6 in their rain-reduced innings, a competitive total on paper. But Suryavanshi’s explosive start ensured that India were always ahead in the chase. His fearless strokeplay and clean hitting completely took the game away from England before they could mount any real challenge. 

At just 14, Vaibhav Suryavanshi is already making serious waves at the international junior level — and even though he didn’t get to raise his bat for a hundred this time, the message is loud and clear: this kid is one to watch.