Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashes 24-ball fifty in U-19 World Cup semifinal, emerges as big-match player for India

With 264 runs in 6 innings, Vaibhav Suryavanshi is India's highest run-getter in the Under-19 ODI World Cup 2026.

Come the big match, Vaibhav Suryavanshi well and truly arrived for India. The left-handed opener had registered two half-centuries in the ongoing Under-19 ODI World Cup 2026, but he saved his best knock for a time when India needed it the most.

Facing Afghanistan in the semifinal in Harare, India had to chase 311 to advance to the final and battle England for the trophy. The Men in Blue required a strong start. Suryavanshi did just that.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s assault in the semifinal

Together with Aaron George, the 14-year-old had the tough job of utilising the field restrictions in the powerplay, scoring at a good clip, and ensuring India didn’t lose an early wicket. Suryavanshi had successfully provided India with a flourishing start in four of the five previous matches. In the biggest match yet, Suryavanshi managed to accomplish that again.

In the 4th over of the chase, he struck three boundaries to Wahidullah Zadran. He was granted a reprieve in the 5th over after centurion Uzairullah Niazai dropped him at point in what was a regulation take.

Suryavanshi made Afghanistan pay for the mistake. He smashed 4 boundaries in the following over, taking Wahidullah down once again. India had already posted 55 runs in the first 6 overs. The assault didn’t stop. In the 7th over, he once again smashed 4 boundaries in the over. This time, Abdul Aziz was the victim.

With a lofty blow off the final ball of the over, Suryavanshi brought up his third fifty of the Under-19 ODI World Cup from just 24 balls. The job was half-done. Aaron George started to find the middle of the bat as well. But in the last over of the powerplay, Suryavanshi was dismissed.

Once again, it was a short ball that he couldn’t resist. It’s a pattern that Suryavanshi has been developing. It’s not like he has trouble with the pace. But he seems like a compulsive puller who doesn’t quite know which ball to leave and which one to go for.

Ideally, India would have wanted him to continue. Had he batted 10 more overs, that match would have been over. But a quickfire 68 from 33 balls is what India needed, and Suryavanshi delivered just that.