U19 World Cup 2026 final: Sooryavanshi's record-breaking 175 lifts India to sixth title

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s superlative knock headlined India’s 100-run victory over England in the final of the ICC U19 World Cup 2026 at Harare, as they secured a record-extending sixth title in the history of the tournament.

Sooryavanshi shattered a plethora of records en route to a boundary-fuelled 175 off merely 80 balls, becoming the youngest to register a U19 World Cup hundred and recording the second-highest score for India in Youth ODIs. His century came off merely 56 balls, which is the second-fastest at the U19 World Cup. His mind-bending blitz, jewelled with 15 fours and sixes apiece, guided India to 411 for 9, another record. Even though Caleb Falconer (115 off 67) showed spirit alongside other England batters, it simply proved too much for the team in the end.

India did not have the best of starts as Aaron George, the centurion from the semi-final, found the man at point to walk back for just 9 off 11 in the fourth over. Sooryavanshi took time before unfurling his ruthless self as he notched up a half-century off 32 balls after being 15 off 17 at one stage. He belted 18 runs off James Minto and spared no bowler from that point, taking only 23 balls more to reach from 50 to 100. His next 50 came even quicker, as he raced off to 150 in just 16 more deliveries with the ball flying to all parts of the ground.

Skipper Ayush Mhatre scored a half-century of his own from the other end, hitting seven fours and two sixes in his 51-ball 53 before holing out to deep square leg to end his 142-run partnership with Sooryavanshi. The latter continued to score runs at will and looked set for a double century, but gloved Manny Lumsden behind while attempting a slog sweep in the 26th over, by when India had notched up an ominous 251.

The innings stuttered briefly after Sooryavanshi’s exit, with Vedant Trivedi (32 off 36) and Vihaan Malhotra (30 off 36) unable to score anywhere close to the same rate. Minto struck in successive overs to remove both of them before Abhigyan Kundu and Kanishk Chouhan added 51 off 47 for the sixth wicket to stabilise the innings. Kundu hit six fours and a six in his 31-ball 40 before Minto cleaned him up, but Chouhan held one end up despite the lower-order crumble to take India past 400 in the final over of the innings.

Set a daunting 412 to win, England failed to score a single run off the first 13 balls as openers Ben Dawkins and Joseph Moores struggled to get going. RS Ambrish struck in the fifth over to send back Moores for 17 before Dawkins opened his arms, finding four boundaries off Henil Patel in an over after a sedate start. Ben Mayes displayed intent in his 28-ball 45-run cameo, hitting seven fours and two sixes, but fell against the run of play while attempting a reverse sweep off Khilan Patel as India snapped their 74-run partnership for the second wicket.

England’s captain Thomas Rew was intent on scoring quickly and reached 31 off 17 with the help of four boundaries and a six, but he found his opposite number Mhatre at extra cover as Chouhan gave India another timely breakthrough.

Dawkins and centurion Falconer added 32 off just 16 to ensure England maintain the tempo in the chase, but Mhatre had him caught to inflict a mini-collapse, with England slipping from 174 for 3 to 177 for 7 in a space of just eight balls, including a triple-wicket 22nd over as Ralphie Albert was run out before Deepesh Devendran dismissed Farhan Ahmed and Sebastian Morgan cheaply.

Falconer and Minto then mixed caution and aggression in their 92-run stand for the eighth wicket, with the former notching up his century in the process. Amrish broke the stand as he removed Minto for 28 off 41 and returned in the next over to see the back of Lumsden. Falconer was the last wicket to fall as England were halted exactly 100 short.

Scores in brief

England v India – ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup final – Harare Sports Club, Harare

India 411/9 in 50 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 175, Ayush Mhatre 53; James Minto 3/63, Alex Green 2/49)

England 311 all out in 40.2 overs (Caleb Falconer 115, Ben Dawkins 66; RS Ambrish 3/56, Kanishk Chouhan 2/63)

Result: India win by 100 runs