NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provided another stunning reminder of his extraordinary talent when the 15-year-old Indian batting sensation smashed a record 94 off just 29 balls against Sri Lanka A in the Tri-Nations final in Dambulla on Sunday.The highlight of his brilliant knock was an 11-ball 50 — the fastest in the history of List A cricket — as India A beat Sri Lanka A by 66 runs to lift the title. Sooryavanshi’s innings was pure carnage from the start, with his first 11 balls: 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 0, 6, 4, 4, 6, 6.His 94-run blitz included 10 fours and eight sixes, setting the tone for India A’s massive 377/9 before Sri Lanka A were restricted to 311 in 47.1 overs.
The message ‘This is not an IPL’ triggers a virus response
The blow had added ferocity after a poor previous encounter between the two sides, where Sri Lanka A defeated India A in the Super Over and tensions flared after the match.During that competition, Sooryavanshi was involved in a heated exchange, with the Sri Lankan player allegedly telling him, “This is not the IPL” after India A’s Super Over defeat.On Sunday, IPL franchises were quick to relive that moment as the teenager turned the tide in spectacular fashion. Rajasthan RoyalsRoyal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals celebrated the 11-ball fifty on social media, conspicuously repeating the phrase “This is not the IPL” while hailing Sooryavanshi’s explosive reply.The viral backlash turned the phrase into a symbol of redemption, with fans and franchises alike applauding the teenager’s fearless approach on the big stage.
No pressure, just pure destruction
Despite the previous controversy and a mixed run in the three series, Sooryavanshi insisted that he played without pressure and focused solely on execution.“I didn’t think about anything. I just wanted to do what I planned,” he said after being named man of the match.The teenager, who is set for a potential India T20 debut later this month, thanked his coaches for helping him bounce back after inconsistent outings earlier in the series.
The record-breaking talent keeps growing
Sooryavanshi’s 11-ball half-century broke the previous List A record of 12 balls held by Sri Lanka’s Kaushalya Weeraratne since 2005, underscoring the scale of his achievement.His knock also narrowly missed out on the fastest List A century, as he fell for 94 while attempting another big hit, caught at mid-on in the ninth over.From dominating the IPL stages at the start of the year to now taking away the bowling attack in international youth cricket, Sooryavanshi continues to build a reputation as one of India’s most explosive young batsmen.
