Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who slammed a 29-ball 94 in Sunday’s Tri-series final vs Sri Lanka A said that he wasn’t under pressure despite an ordinary campaign and an ill-tempered spat with SL-A earlier in the week. “I hadn’t thought of anything. Just wanted to execute what I planned in the first ten and take it forward from there,” Sooryavanshi said after being named player of the match.
“No pressure. I wasn’t executing what I wanted. But after consulting with the coaches, I got it right. Learnt a lot this series. I’ve played a lot of 50-over cricket. Not sure people know about it. The challenge was to adapt to different conditions, it was nice to take it on,” he added.
In Sunday’s final, Sooryavanshi overturned his indifferent form for India A with a sensational 11-ball fifty, breaking the List A world record for the fastest-ever half-century.
Taking guard at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium after Sri Lanka A opted to bowl first, Sooryavanshi charged from the outset, flat-batting Mohamed Shiraz for a boundary on the first ball.
The 15-year-old, who entered the final on the back of a string of low scores and an ugly shoving incident against the opposition earlier this week, turned around the script with a series of sixes and fours. He unfurled his full range in Shiraz’s second over, smashing three sixes and two fours in a 26-run over.
Sooryavanshi stormed to his fifty in only 11 balls, bludgeoning his fifth six over long-on to break a 20-year-old record for the fastest List A half-century. Previously, Sri Lanka Kaushalya Weeratane held the record for the fastest List A fifty, having struck a half-century in 12 balls for Ragama Cricket Club.
Sooryavanshi bettered the Indian record previously held by Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan who smashed a 15-ball fifty against Punjab in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last season.
The 15-year-old has only featured in 12 List A matches since his debut in December 2024, including a best of 190 for Bihar in the domestic circuit.
