Vaibhav Suryavanshi was at his formidable best, hitting 171 off 95 balls to lead India to a massive 234-run victory over hosts UAE in the opening game of the Under-19 Asia Cup 2025 at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on Friday.
The 14-year-old from Samastipur, Bihar, put on an incredible batting exhibition, smashing 14 sixes en route to his incredible innings—the most by any batsman in a single innings at the U19 level.
India amassed 433 for 6 in 50 overs aided by half-centuries from Vihaan Malhotra (69) and Aaron George (69). The total of more than 400 is the most in the history of both the U-19 Asia Cup and India’s U19 ODIs.
Despite battling fifties from Prithvi Madhu (50) and Uddish Suri (78 not out), the UAE could only manage 199/7 in their allocated 50 overs and were never in the chase.
After Ambati Rayudu’s undefeated 177 against England in 2002, Suryavanshi’s scorching knock, which included nine boundaries, is currently the second-highest score by an Indian in junior ODIs and the ninth-highest score by a batter in a men’s U19 ODI.
The teenage opener, who was sent into bat, looked a class apart as he destroyed the UAE bowlers, reaching his hundred in just 56 deliveries and his fifty off just 30 balls.
After that, he and George had a stand of 212 runs to totally crush the hosts’ onslaught. In the 33rd over, spinner Uddish Suri bowled him, ending his furious innings.
Vedant Trivedi (38), Abhigyan Kundu (32 not out), and Kanishk Chouhan (28) kept the pace going after his removal, allowing India to surpass the desired 400-run threshold.
With a formidable target, the UAE lost two wickets in the first four overs before the pursuit was essentially ended when Muhammad Rayan, Ayaan Misbah, and Ahmed Khudadad were all dismissed in the span of nine balls, leaving them struggling at 48/5. Although the damage had already been done, Suri and Madhu’s 85 runs stopped the decline.
Suryavanshi had earlier driven India to a staggering 433/6 in their 50 overs with a scorching century. With 171 from just 95 balls, including 14 sixes and nine fours, 14-year-old Suryavanshi displayed amazing strokeplay.
When India was put to bat, captain Ayush Mhatre was removed for four in the third over, dealing an early blow.
In the company of Aaron George, who scored 69 from 73 balls, Suryavanshi, who has been in brilliant form, played cautiously until turning into a lethal force. Suryavanshi reached his half-century in just 30 deliveries, showing no mercy to the UAE bowlers.
Suryavanshi broke the record for the most sixes hit by a batter in a single innings at the Under-19 Asia Cup, which was previously held by Afghanistan’s Darwish Rasooli (10 sixes in 2017), thanks to this incredible show of power hitting. He reached 150 runs from 84 balls after smashing his way to a remarkable century from just 56 balls.
Before he was dismissed for 171 in the 33rd over, Suryavanshi appeared headed for a double century. Just short of Ambati Rayudu’s 177 not out against England U19 in 2002, he currently holds the record for the second-highest score by an Indian in a Youth ODI.
