Can Vaibhav Suryavanshi's 32-ball century lead India A to dominance over UAE in the Asia Cup Rising Stars?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi's century was achieved in a record time of 32 balls.
- He became the youngest player to score a senior T20 international century.
- India A posted a total of 297 runs, among the highest in T20 history.
- The partnership between Suryavanshi and Naman Dhir was crucial, contributing 163 runs.
- Gurjapneet Singh led the bowling attack with impressive figures of 3 for 18.
Doha, Nov 14 (NationPress) The young prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi once again made headlines by smashing an incredible 144 runs off just 42 balls, propelling India A to a resounding victory by 148 runs against UAE in their opening match of the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 in Doha this Friday.
His phenomenal performance helped India A post a total of 297 for 4, making it the joint fifth-highest score in men’s T20 cricket history, before the bowlers took charge to secure a convincing win.
Suryavanshi displayed an extraordinary array of fearless hitting, with his 14-year-old left-handed style featuring 11 fours and 15 sixes, resulting in a staggering strike rate of 342.85, which ranks as the fourth-highest for a T20 century.
His century was achieved in just 32 balls, marking it as the joint-second fastest for an Indian in men’s T20s, sharing the record with Rishabh Pant's 2018 performance, and only behind Urvil Patel and Abhishek Sharma's 28-ball centuries in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024. This remarkable feat is now the joint-fifth fastest in T20 history.
At the age of 14 years and 232 days, Suryavanshi became the youngest player to score a century for a national team at the senior level, breaking the previous record held by Mushfiqur Rahim, who was 16 years and 171 days old when he achieved his milestone in 2005.
This was Suryavanshi’s second T20 century, having previously scored a 35-ball ton for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025, making him the youngest to achieve a T20 hundred and the second-fastest in IPL history, just behind Chris Gayle's 30-ball record from 2011.
What added to the excitement of Suryavanshi’s innings was the fact that he was dropped on his first delivery. This miss only fueled his explosive performance, culminating in a rapid 50 runs off 17 balls, as he utterly dismantled the UAE bowling line-up with a blend of power and precision. His innings formed the backbone of a stunning 163-run partnership off just 57 balls with Naman Dhir, who contributed 34 runs, allowing India A to take complete control.
Following Suryavanshi's departure in the 13th over, captain Jitesh Sharma kept the momentum intact, scoring 83 not out off 32 balls, which ensured that India A was on track for a monumental score. They were even on the verge of becoming just the fifth team in men’s T20 history to surpass the 300-run mark.
Nevertheless, a modest final over left them tied with India’s 2024 total of 297 against Bangladesh, which remains one of the highest scores recorded. Only Baroda’s 349 in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has surpassed it in Indian cricket.
In response to the daunting target of 298, the UAE never posed a real threat. Their innings lacked vigor, with Sohaib Khan being the only notable contributor, scoring 63 runs off 41 balls. India A maintained a strong grip throughout, with Gurjapneet Singh leading the bowling attack with impressive figures of 3 for 18. Ultimately, the UAE ended their innings at 149 for 7, falling significantly short of India's massive total.
Brief scores:
India A: 297/4 in 20 overs (Vaibhav Suryavanshi 144, Jitesh Sharma 83; Aayan Afzal Khan 1-42, Muhammad Arfan 1-57) beat UAE A: 149/7 in 20 overs (Shoaib Khan 63, Muhammad Arfan 26; Gurpanjeet Singh 2-18, Harsh Dubey 2/-2) by 148 runs