Doha [Qatar], November 14 : 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi slammed a 32-ball century to set the stage on fire in India A's opening match against the UAE in the Rising Stars Asia Cup, which powered his side to 297/4 in Doha on Friday.
Suryavanshi, India's young batting sensation, smashed a breathtaking century in just 32 balls, unleashing 10 boundaries and nine sixes by then. He also became the first cricketer to score a century for India A in a T20 match.
The young left-hander was out, caught in deep cover in the 13th over when he was batting on 144. Vaibhav finished with 15 sixes and 11 boundaries.
This remarkable feat makes him the joint third-fastest Indian to score a T20 hundred behind Urvil Patel and Abhishek Sharma, who are the top two, and equalled by Rishabh Pant.
He blasted his half-century in just 17 balls, then accelerated further, scoring the next 50 runs in a mere 15 deliveries, leaving the UAE bowlers struggling to contain his aggressive onslaught. The 14-year-old has now become the first player in history to have two centuries in the shortest format of the game in 35 balls or fewer.
He also slammed the joint second-highest sixes by an Indian in a T20 innings, joining Punit Bisht, Shreyas Iyer and Bhanu Jagdish Pania.
Coming to the match, India A have won the toss and opted to bat. Suryavanshi opened the innings with Priyansh Arya. Arya's brief cameo ended with a 6-ball, 10-run knock, followed by Naman Dhir, who steadied the ship at number 3. While Dhir anchored the innings, Vaibhav stormed ahead, stealing the show.
Dhir was dismissed for 34 runs off 23 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes. Captain Jitesh Sharma then took charge, but Vaibhav was dismissed at the other end for 144 runs off 42 balls, hitting 11 fours and 15 sixes.
Captain Jitesh then, along with Ramandeep Singh, took the score close to 300.