Harare witnessed a historic showdown as India U19 faced England U19 in the ICC U19 World Cup 2026 final. Batting first, India was propelled by a sensational innings from 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who smashed an unbeaten 175 off just 80 balls. His innings, studded with 15 fours and 15 sixes, set the foundation for India’s record-breaking total of 411/9, the highest ever in a U19 World Cup knockout match.
Captain Ayush Mhatre contributed a crucial 53 off 51 balls, while wicketkeeper-batter Abhigyan Kundu (40 off 31) and all-rounder Kanishk Chouhan (37 off 20) provided valuable support in the middle order. Suryavanshi’s knock also marked the fastest century by an Indian in U19 World Cup finals and made him the first batter to cross 150 in a summit clash. His record-breaking campaign saw him accumulate 439 runs, the third-highest by an Indian in a single U19 World Cup edition.
India’s innings, built on aggressive strokeplay and smart partnerships, left England staring at a daunting target of 412. India’s pacers, led by RS Ambrish and Henil Patel, made early inroads in the chase, with Ambrish starting with a maiden over. England’s openers, Joseph Moores and Ben Dawkins, managed to steady the innings but struggled against India’s pace attack, scoring 14/0 in the first four overs. A dropped catch by Henil Patel offered England a glimmer of hope, but India remained dominant.
The match not only highlighted India’s young talent but also etched Suryavanshi’s name in U19 cricket history. With such a monumental total, India has firmly placed the pressure on England to mount a comeback in Harare, promising a thrilling finish to the tournament.
