Young Indian Opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi Hits Second Fastest Fifty in Youth ODI History

Indian cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi has already grabbed the cricket world’s attention with his aggressive batting style. Even at a very young age, he played in the last Indian Premier League (IPL) season and set a record for the fastest century by an Indian batsman. His powerful and fearless batting continues to shine as he represents the India Under-19 team. Recently, Vaibhav nearly touched a world record in youth ODI cricket, though the record held by Bangladesh’s Nazmul Hossain Shanto still stands strong.

The Indian Under-19 team recently played the third ODI of a five-match series against England Under-19 in Northampton. Chasing a target of 269 runs, India managed to win by 4 wickets, thanks in large part to Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s explosive innings. The young opener scored a brilliant 86 runs off just 31 balls, decorating his innings with 6 fours and 9 towering sixes. His nine sixes set a new record for the most sixes hit in a single innings by an Indian youth cricketer in ODIs.

Before Vaibhav’s innings, the record for most sixes in an innings among Indian youth players was 8. This record was shared by two great hitters: Mandeep Singh, who smashed 8 sixes in his unbeaten 151 against Australia in Hobart back in 2009, and Raj Bawar, who also hit 8 sixes in an unbeaten 162 during the 2022 Youth ODI World Cup against Uganda. Vaibhav’s performance surpassed both these achievements, showing just how powerful and talented he is.

In addition to breaking the six-hitting record, Vaibhav also scored the second fastest fifty by an Indian player in youth ODIs. He reached his fifty in just 20 balls, a lightning-fast knock that electrified the crowd. The fastest fifty by an Indian youth cricketer is held by Rishabh Pant, who scored a half-century in 18 balls during the 2016 Youth ODI World Cup against Nepal. Pant’s record was the fastest fifty in the history of youth ODIs at the time. It was later broken by South Africa’s Steve Stolk, who hit a fifty in just 13 balls against Scotland in the 2024 Youth ODI World Cup.

Vaibhav’s performance also raised hopes that he could break the world record for the youngest century in youth ODIs. The record is currently held by Nazmul Hossain Shanto, who scored a century for Bangladesh against Sri Lanka in 2013 at the age of 14 years and 241 days. Vaibhav was very close to this feat, as he was only 14 years and 97 days old when he played his 86-run innings. The record for the youngest century by an Indian youth player still belongs to Mohammad Sarfaraz, who scored his hundred at 15 years and 338 days. Although Vaibhav fell short of the century this time, his age and performance suggest a bright future ahead.

Vaibhav’s aggressive batting style also shows in his strike rate. His strike rate in the recent innings was an incredible 277.41, the second highest by a youth cricketer scoring fifty or more for India. Rishabh Pant holds the highest strike rate with 325 in an innings where he scored 78 runs. Overall, Vaibhav has scored 256 runs in six youth ODI matches, maintaining a remarkable strike rate of 188.23. During this ongoing series against England Under-19, Vaibhav has been consistent, scoring 48, 45, and 86 runs in the three matches played so far.

Thanks to Vaibhav’s contributions, the Indian Under-19 team currently leads the series 2-1 after three matches. His powerful hitting, ability to clear boundaries, and rapid scoring rate make him one of the most exciting young talents in Indian cricket. Fans and experts alike are watching closely, expecting that Vaibhav Suryavanshi will soon be a key player not just in youth cricket, but also on bigger stages in the near future.