At the historic Harare Sports Club, the India Under-19 cricket team delivered one of the most dominant performances ever seen in youth cricket, crushing the England Under-19 cricket team by 100 runs to lift the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026.
It was India’s sixth U19 world title — a record that underlines their unmatched depth at the junior level.
But this final will be remembered for one extraordinary name.
🌪️ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Turns the Final Into a One-Man Show
The spotlight belonged to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 14-year-old prodigy from Bihar who played an innings that felt unreal even by modern standards.
After skipper Ayush Mhatre won the toss and chose to bat, India lost an early wicket. What followed was pure destruction.
Sooryavanshi smashed:
- 175 runs off just 80 balls
- His century came in 55 deliveries— the fastest ever in a U19 World Cup final
- 15 sixes and 15 fours
- Strike rate: 75
He also broke Unmukt Chand’s long-standing final record of 111*, registering the highest individual score in a U19 World Cup final.
Calm support came from Ayush Mhatre (53), while late fireworks by Kanishk Chouhan (37 off 20) pushed India to a massive 411/9 — the highest total ever in a U19 World Cup final.
At that point, England were staring at a mountain.
🏏 England Fight Back, But the Gap Is Too Big
To their credit, England didn’t surrender early.
Ben Dawkins (66) and Ben Mayes (45) gave them momentum in the powerplay.
Then came a brave counterattack from Caleb Falconer, who struck a superb 115 off 67 balls. For a brief period, his hitting made India uncomfortable.
But he had little support.
India’s bowlers stayed disciplined.
RS Ambrish led the attack with 3/56, while Deepesh Devendran and Ayush Mhatre chipped in with two wickets each. Falconer’s dismissal finally shut the door, and England were bowled out for 311.
Margin of victory: 100 runs.
🏆 Awards and Records
There was no debate about the honours:
- Man of the Match:Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- Player of the Tournament:Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (439 runs overall)
At just 14, he hasn’t merely won a World Cup — he’s announced himself to the cricketing world.
🇮🇳 A Legacy That Keeps Growing
With this triumph, India add 2026 to their golden list of U19 titles: 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022 — and now 2026.
Under coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar, the team went unbeaten throughout the tournament, showing composure, planning, and teamwork well beyond their years.
Captain Ayush Mhatre summed it up simply after the win:
“We worked eight months for this. Today, we didn’t just play for a trophy — we played for each other.”
Final Word
This wasn’t just a win.
It was a statement.
India didn’t scrape through. They dominated — with bat, ball, and mindset. And in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the world may have just witnessed the rise of a future superstar.
Satyakam is a seasoned professional content writer with over 15 years of experience in creating high-quality, research-driven content for digital platforms. He specialises in business, finance, banking, law, technology, and informational blogs.
