Vaibhav Sooryavanshi makes script history and becomes the youngest to score an international fifty

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi creates history (Image: BCCI/X) Vaibhav Sooryavanshi etched his name in the records after registering the first fifty against Zimbabwe in the 1st T20I in Harare.Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had a tough start to his international career during India’s T20I series against England in July 2026. Arriving with huge expectations after his record-breaking IPL season, the 15-year-old managed scores of 14, 13 and 15 in his first three T20I innings. On his debut at Old Trafford, he scored 14 off 10 balls, including two sixes, before being dismissed by Will Jacks. He followed that up with a quick 13 off 5 balls at Trent Bridge in India’s batting collapse before taking 15 off 10 at Bristol.Chasing a modest target of 126, Sooryavanshi produced a composed but aggressive innings to register his maiden international half-century. This made him the youngest player in history to score a fifty in T20I cricket, beating Gibraltar’s record of 16 years and 56 days.

Youngest at the time of the first T20I fifty

15y 118d – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (IND) vs ZIM, Harare, 202616y 56d – Louis Bruce (Gibraltar) vs. Malta, Albergaria, 202116 years 76 days – Kavin Chaddha (Indonesia) vs. Sweden, Bali, 202616y 89d – Alusine Turay (Sierra Leone) vs. Ghana, Benoni,16 years 118d – Tenjin Rabgey (Bhutan) vs. China, Kuala Lumpur, 2023Previous record by a batsman from a full team: 17y 296d – Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG) vs ZIM, Chattogram, 2019Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is also the youngest player to score more than 50 runs in men’s international cricket. The only other to do so before turning 16 is Nepal’s Kushal Malla, who scored one at the age of 15 on 340d in an ODI against USA at Kirtipur in 2020.

Youngest to score a fifty in international cricket (FM teams)

15y 118d – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (IND) vs ZIM, Harare, 2026 (T20I)16 years 213d – Sachin Tendulkar (IND) vs PAK, Faisalabad, 1989 (Test)16 years 214d – Shahid Afridi (PAK) vs SL, Nairobi, 1996 (ODI)17y 39d – Mushtaq Mohammad (PAK) vs IND, Kolkata, 1960 (Test)17 63d – Mohammad Ashraful vs SL, Colombo (SSC), 2001 (Test)

Sooryavnshi departs after 50

Richard Ngarava ended Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s sensational knock, dismissing the 15-year-old for a blistering 50 off just 19 balls. Sooryavanshi chased a wide shot outside the region and attempted an attacking shot over the cover region but only managed a top edge, with Ben Curran completing a safe catch at deep third. There were four fours and four sixes in the youngster’s blistering innings, which saw India firmly in control of the 126-run chase before his departure.

Playing XI for India vs Zimbabwe 1st T20I:

Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani(w), Ben Curran, Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza(c), Ryan Burl, Wessly Madhevere, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava, Blessing MuzarabaniIndia (Playing XI): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav

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