Vaibhav Suryavanshi, a 13-year-old cricket prodigy, has captured global attention with an extraordinary unbeaten 76 in India U19’s resounding 10-wicket victory over the UAE in the U19 Asia Cup. Chasing 138, Suryavanshi, opening alongside Ayush Mhatre, hammered six sixes and three fours in his blistering 46-ball innings.
The duo chased down the target in just 16.1 overs, achieving the first-ever 10-wicket win with 203 balls to spare in the tournament’s history. Earlier, India restricted UAE to 137, thanks to Yudhajit Guha’s impressive 3-15 in seven overs. Despite a recent loss to Pakistan, this win positions India second in Group A and sets up a semi-final clash against Sri Lanka in Sharjah on December 6.
A Phenomenal Year for Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Suryavanshi’s rise has been meteoric. In January, at just 12, he made his first-class debut for Bihar, following two half-centuries for India U19 the previous year. However, his most remarkable feat came in September when he scored a 58-ball century against Australia in his U19 Test debut. This incredible performance marked the fastest-ever century by an Indian U19 player and the second fastest globally, trailing only Moeen Ali’s 56-ball record in 2005.
Adding to his accolades, Suryavanshi became the youngest player to secure an IPL contract last week. The Rajasthan Royals picked him for INR 1.10 crore after a competitive bidding war with the Delhi Capitals. He is now set to share the field with stars like Sanju Samson and Jofra Archer in the upcoming IPL season.
India Eyes U19 Asia Cup Glory
India’s U19 team, last crowned Asia Cup champions in 2021, aims to reclaim the title after a semi-final exit to Bangladesh last year. Their recent form, boosted by Suryavanshi’s heroics, offers hope for a strong finish. With the semi-final against Sri Lanka looming, all eyes are on the young prodigy, who continues to defy age and expectations.
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