14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashes South Africa, hits 10 sixes in fifty quickfire runs | Cricket News
India set a target of 246 after South Africa Under-19s were bowled out for 245, but the race soon came down to one name. Leading Vaibhav Sooryavanshi came out to open and immediately took control, lighting up the field with a breathtaking start. The 14-year-old got into bowling from the start, hitting 68 off just 24 balls. His innings was built on crisp, fearless hitting, with ten sixes and fours crossing the ropes with ease. Vaibhav completed his half-century in just 19 deliveries, giving India Under-19s exactly the momentum they were looking for at the top of the order. He shared the opening stand with Aaron George, who made 20 before falling early in the chase.
Earlier in the day, the South Africa Under-19s opted to bat first. Jorich van Schalkwyk and Adnaan Lagadien started the set, contributing 10 and 25 respectively, but neither managed to convert their start. Captain Muhammed Bulbulia also failed to settle down, departing for 14 as wickets fell at regular intervals. The visitors found stability through Jason Rowles, who played the high-scoring innings of the first innings. Rowles scored 114 off 113 balls, anchoring the batting effort when the team needed it most. He received some support from Daniel Bosman, who added 31 off 63 deliveries, but South Africa struggled to build partnerships around these deliveries and were ultimately dismissed for 245. The Indian bowlers shared the workload effectively with Kishan Singh leading the attack. He bowled a solid spell of 8.3 overs, picking up four wickets while conceding 46 runs. RS Ambrish chipped in with two wickets, while Deepesh Devendran, Kanishk Chouhan and Khilan Patel claimed one each to ensure South Africa never completely broke free. Vaibhav’s explosive innings once again underlined his reputation as one of the most exciting batters at this level. Last year he set a benchmark by scoring the fastest hundred in under-19 cricket, reaching the milestone off just 52 balls against England in Worcester.The match, however, was interrupted several times due to bad lightning, and India’s innings was reduced to just 27 overs under the DLS method, while South Africa had completed all 50 overs. India U19 completed the chase in 23.2 overs, scoring 176 for 2 and winning by 8 wickets. Vedant Trivedi chipped in with an unbeaten 31 off 57 balls, while Abhigyan Kundu was not out on 48 off 42 deliveries, guiding India home safely. The ongoing three-match ODI series against South Africa serves as preparation for the Under-19 World Cup, which begins on January 15 in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
