Teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi continued his excellent form by scoring a match-winning 86 off just 31 deliveries, which included a record nine sixes and six boundaries, as India defeated England by four wickets in the rain-shortened third Under-19 Youth ODI to secure a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
The 14-year-old, who was dismissed in the 40s in the last two matches, made up for his missed half-centuries with his flamboyant innings as he gave the English bowlers a run for their money and enabled his team to chase England's 268/6 in 34.3 overs.
Suryavanshi’s nine sixes are the highest number of sixes hit by an Indian batsman in an U-19 ODI, surpassing Mandeep Singh’s previous record of eight sixes. India’s victory was more creditable, considering that they were reeling at 199 for 6 in the 24th over. All-rounder Kanishk Chouhan, who had taken three England wickets earlier, came to the rescue of the team with an unbeaten 43 off 42 balls. He shared an unbroken 75-run partnership with RS Ambrish (31 not out) to steer India to victory.
Suryavanshi did not spare any bowler and made his aggressive intent clear when he smacked right-arm pacer Sebastian Morgan for two consecutive sixes in the third over. Morgan was also at the receiving end in his next over when he was hit for two more sixes and a boundary by the 14-year-old, who has been on a dream run since he played in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals. Suryavanshi also punished England left-arm pacer James Minto in the sixth over, which cost 23 runs, including three sixes and a four.
After Suryavanshi’s departure, India struggled a bit in the middle overs before Kanishk and Ambrish played stuck together and took India to a comfortable win in the end with 33 balls to spare.
Earlier, England skipper Thomas Rew hit an unbeaten 76 (44 balls), while opener Ben Dawkins scored 62 as the hosts scored 268 for 6 after the match was delayed due to rain. The 55-run partnership for the second wicket between Dawkins and Mayes carried the team through to a formidable total, but it did not prove enough.
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