India sealed their sixth Under-19 World Cup title with a commanding 100-run win over England in a high-scoring final in Harare, driven by a sensational innings from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Batting first, India piled up a massive 411 for 9, thanks largely to the 14-year-old opener’s breathtaking 175 from just 80 balls. He dominated the attack from the outset, adding 142 in 15 overs with captain Ayush Mhatre and then accelerating further alongside Vedant Trivedi. After racing to fifty in 32 balls, Sooryavanshi reached his hundred in just 23 more and surged past 150 soon after, peppering the boundary with sixes and audacious strokes. Late cameos from Abhigyan Kundu and Kanishk Chouhan carried India beyond 400 for the first time in a Youth ODI between Full Member nations, despite a late three-wicket burst from James Minto.
England’s reply required a record chase and never quite gathered enough momentum. Early pressure told before counterattacks from Ben Dawkins, Ben Mayes and skipper Thomas Rew briefly lifted hopes. The standout was Caleb Falconer, who smashed a brilliant maiden hundred and later added a fighting stand with Minto. But with the asking rate soaring and wickets tumbling, England were eventually bowled out for 311.
The victory crowned a dominant tournament for India and marked sweet redemption after their final defeat to Australia two years earlier.
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