Indian batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sent out a warning ahead of the tour of Ireland and England by hitting the fastest half-century in List A cricket history on Sunday.
Sooryavanshi, 15, hit 94 off 29 deliveries to help the Indian team secure a 66-run win over Sri Lanka A in the tri-nation series final in Dambulla.
He reached his fifty from 11 balls, which is the best effort in any professional 50-over match.
The left-handed batter struck 10 fours and eight sixes to power his side to 377-9. Sri Lanka were dismissed for 311 in reply, handing India victory.
The opening batter, still in school, continued his record-breaking season, during which he was fast-tracked to the senior team.
Sooryavanshi earned his maiden India A call-up following a standout Indian Premier League season where he topped the scoring charts with 776 runs in 16 matches for Rajasthan Royals. There, he set a record with 65 sixes in an IPL season, surpassing Chris Gayle’s record.
Sooryavanshi had smashed 15 sixes in the U19 World Cup final against England earlier in the year. He also hit successive 90s in the IPL play-offs.
He is now in line to earn his maiden India cap after being selected for the T20 tours of Ireland and England which begins at the end of the month.
“I didn’t think too much. I just wanted to make the most of the first 10 overs and execute my plans,” Sooryavanshi said in Dambulla.
“There was no pressure. I worked on areas that weren’t going well, and today everything came together.
“I’ve learnt a lot. I’ve played 50-over cricket quite a bit, even if people don’t realise it. The conditions were different, but it was a good experience.”
If selected, Sooryavanshi will become the youngest player to represent India in men’s internationals, surpassing the great Sachin Tendulkar who represented the country at the age of 16.
