Vaibhav Sooryavanshi signed off the tour of Zimbabwe with a brilliant 81, short of a hundred

Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi capped off an impressive tour of Zimbabwe with 81 off 49 balls in the third T20I in Harare on Sunday. The 15-year-old looked destined for a maiden international century before Wesley Madhevere ended his brilliant innings to deny him a place in the record books.

From the start of the innings, Sooryavanshi was aggressive right from the start, sending Sikandar Raza over the boundary in the opener before taking on Zimbabwe’s pace attack with a fearless pull game. He mixed timing with power, littering the boundary with eight fours and four sixes as he raced to his second T20I half-century in just 31 balls.

India vs Zimbabwe 3rd T20I: Update | Scorecard

The youngster seemed completely in control as he dismantled both the seamstresses and the spinners. He edged Raza for a towering 102-metre six, developed a reverse movement against Madhevere and repeatedly found the gaps with sharp strokes and cuts. He swung into the 80s in the late 15s and looked well on course to become the youngest player to score a T20I century.

However, his dream innings ended on the final ball of the 15th over. Attempting another big hit from Madhevere, Sooryavanshi mistimed a long-on shot where Brad Evans sprinted forward to complete a brilliant catch at low chip. If he reaches three figures, the Indian prodigy would become the youngest centurion in T20I history and only the second 15-year-old after Rwanda’s Fanny Utagushimaninde to reach a T20I hundred.

SOORYAVANSHI ENDS ZIMBABWE TOUR ON A HIGH

Although he missed out on a landmark century, Sooryavanshi’s innings underlined the immense talent that has made him one of India’s brightest young prospects. The left-hander endured a disappointing tour of England earlier this month, managing just 42 runs in three matches, but bounced back strongly in Zimbabwe.

Across three T20Is, Sooryavanshi amassed 121 runs at an average of 71.50 and a strike rate of 171.60. He announced himself with a scintillating 18-ball half-century in the series opener before producing his best knock in the final match. More importantly, the tour showcased his fearless intent and ability to dominate quality bowling despite his age.

While the century will have to wait, Sooryavanshi’s scintillating knock ensured he stepped away from Zimbabwe with renewed confidence and plenty of promise. The youngster may have fallen 19 runs short of the historic milestone, but his fearless batting once again suggested that bigger records are just a matter of time.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

Jul 26, 2026 5:52 PM IST