India’s Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images) Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced an outstanding performance as he scored 171 runs off just 95 balls in the U-19 Asia Cup match against UAE in Dubai on Wednesday. His remarkable innings helped India post a mammoth total of 433/6 in the allotted 50 overs.The 14-year-old left-handed batsman from Bihar created a new world record in U-19 cricket by hitting fourteen sixes and nine fours in his innings.
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During the 32nd over of India’s innings, when Sooryavanshi was nearing his century, he and UAE wicketkeeper Saleh Amin had an interesting exchange.“Come on guys. 90’s curse. 90’s curse,” Amin was heard saying on the stump mic.“Tere saath selfie loon? (Do you want to take a selfie with me?)” Sooryavanshi replied to the UAE goalkeeper.When asked about the incident later, Sooryavanshi confidently replied, “Main Bihar se hoon. Peeth peeche jo bhi baatein hoti hain, usse mujhko farak nahi patta.” (I am from Bihar. What is said behind my back doesn’t bother me.)The match started with UAE captain Yayin Rai winning the toss and asking India to bat first. India faced an early setback when skipper Ayush Mhatre was dismissed for just four runs in the third over.Sooryavanshi then joined forces with Aaron George at the crease. The young batsman initially played cautiously before accelerating his innings to reach his fifty in just 30 balls.His powerful batting display earned him a new tournament record of six in one innings in the U-19 Asia Cup. He broke the previous record of ten sixes set by Afghanistan’s Darwish Rasooli in 2017.Sooryavanshi continued his aggressive batting and reached his century in 56 balls. He kept up the pace and reached 150 runs in 84 balls before being run out after scoring 171 runs. His innings came with an impressive strike count of 180.The innings is now the second highest score by an Indian in Youth ODI cricket. The record is still held by Ambati Rayudu who scored an unbeaten 177 against England U-19 in 2002.The Indian innings was well supported by Aaron George and Vihaan Malhotra who both scored 69 runs. Vedant Trivedi contributed 38 runs while Abhigyan Kundu and Kanishk Chouhan added 32 and 28 runs respectively. A combined effort helped India set a mammoth target of 434 runs for the UAE team.UAE’s reply resulted in a score of 199/7 in their allotted 50 overs. Their innings was highlighted by Uddish Suri’s unbeaten 78 and Prithvi Madhu’s fifty. India U19 secured a dominant 234 runs.India U19 will face their next challenge against Pakistan U19 in a group stage match on Sunday.
