Vaibhav Sooryavanshi displayed remarkable composure to steady India's innings against Bangladesh in the U19 World Cup. The young batsman began cautiously before unleashing his attack in the eighth over. He smashed 15 runs off Iqbal Hossain Emon's bowling, pushing India's score to 42 for 2.
Early Setbacks and a Historic Moment
India faced another blow when Vihaan Malhotra fell for just 7 runs in the tenth over. Md Azizul Hakim Tamim claimed the wicket, leaving India at 53 for 3 by the end of the powerplay. Despite these early losses, Sooryavanshi continued to anchor the innings with impressive maturity.
The 14-year-old batsman truly announced his arrival during the thirteenth over. He reached a stunning half-century off only 30 deliveries, showcasing his aggressive intent and skill. At 14 years and 296 days old, Sooryavanshi created history by becoming the youngest player ever to score a fifty in a Men's U19 World Cup match.
Building Partnerships and Milestones
India progressed to 94 for 3 after twenty overs, thanks to a vital partnership between Sooryavanshi and Abhigyan Kundu. The duo worked together to rebuild the innings after those early wickets. Their stand provided much-needed stability for the Indian team.
Unfortunately, the partnership broke in the twenty-seventh over when Iqbal Hossain Emon dismissed Sooryavanshi for 72 runs. The young star faced 67 balls during his innings, hitting six boundaries and three sixes. His knock also helped him cross 1,000 runs in Youth ODIs, making him the seventh Indian player to achieve this significant milestone.
Middle Order Struggles and Rain Interruption
India's middle order found it difficult to maintain momentum after Sooryavanshi's departure. Harvansh Pangalia managed only 2 runs before getting out, leaving India at 123 for 5. Kundu then took charge of the innings alongside Kanishk Chouhan, guiding the team to 152 for 5 by the thirty-third over.
Chouhan played a fluent innings of 28 runs before his dismissal in the thirty-sixth over. His wicket ended a valuable 54-run partnership with Kundu. Soon after, rain interrupted play, reducing the match to 49 overs per side. Kundu reached his fifty off 82 balls as India crossed the 180-run mark before the weather delay.
Late Collapse and Bangladesh's Bowling Hero
Wickets continued to fall rapidly after the restart. RS Ambrish departed for just 5 runs, dismissed by Sheikh Paevez Jibon. Al Fahad then brought an end to Kundu's resolute innings, removing the batsman after a fighting 80 runs from 112 deliveries. Kundu's knock included four boundaries and three sixes.
India were eventually bowled out for 238 in 48.4 overs. Al Fahad emerged as the standout bowler for Bangladesh, finishing with an impressive five-wicket haul of 5 for 38 in 9.2 overs. His performance played a crucial role in restricting India's total during the later stages of the innings.
A Day for the Record Books
Despite the late collapse, the day truly belonged to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. His record-breaking fifty marked a historic moment in U19 World Cup history, showcasing the emergence of a remarkable young talent. The innings demonstrated both skill and temperament beyond his years, providing a bright spot for India in their match against Bangladesh.
