14-Year-Old Vaibhav Suryavanshi Steals the Show With Record SMAT Century
The U-19 World Cup opener hit an unbeaten 108 off 61 balls, overshadowing senior stars like Hardik Pandya, Padikkal and Sarfaraz across venues.
A 14-year-old prodigy from Bihar overshadowed some of India’s biggest domestic stars on Tuesday, as Vaibhav Suryavanshi produced a remarkable unbeaten century that emerged as the most inspiring performance of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy round played across venues.
Suryavanshi, India’s designated opener for next month’s Under-19 World Cup, struck an unbeaten 108 off 61 balls against Maharashtra at Eden Gardens.
Coming into the match on the back of low scores of 14, 13 and 5, Suryavanshi displayed rare composure and clean ball striking, becoming the youngest player to score a century in the tournament.
His knock, laced with seven fours and seven sixes, powered Bihar to 176 for 3 and stood out as the moment of the day despite Bihar eventually losing by three wickets.
The story of the day could easily have belonged to established stars. Hardik Pandya marked his comeback to competitive cricket with a commanding 77 not out off 42 balls to script Baroda’s seven-wicket win over Punjab in a tall chase of 223.
Devdutt Padikkal smashed an unbeaten 46-ball 102 in Karnataka’s thumping 145-run win over Tamil Nadu, while Sarfaraz Khan’s maiden T20 century powered Mumbai past Assam by 98 runs. However, it was Suryavanshi’s innings that captured attention for its blend of maturity, fearlessness and timing.
At an age where most cricketers are navigating age-group cricket, the teenager rebuilt the innings and then accelerated with the poise of a seasoned professional. While Prithvi Shaw’s rapid 66 led Maharashtra to victory, the Bihar youngster’s hundred remained the defining performance of the day.
In other matches, Gujarat continued their strong run with Ravi Bishnoi picking three wickets in a win over Puducherry, while Arjun Tendulkar impressed for Goa with a three-wicket haul that helped set up a comfortable chase against Madhya Pradesh.
But across venues, it was the 14-year-old’s milestone that resonated as the most uplifting story, signalling the rise of a prodigious talent and offering a glimpse into Indian cricket’s promising future.