Vaibhav Suryavanshi dons Virat Kohli's iconic No.18 jersey, smashes 48 off just 19 against England U19 in 1st Youth ODI

Vaibhav Suryavanshi delivered an impressive performance, scoring 48 runs off just 19 balls, as India U19 defeated England U19 by six wickets in the inaugural Youth ODI at Hove on Friday. Wearing the number 18, a jersey famously associated with Indian legend Virat Kohli, Suryavanshi hit five sixes and three fours, helping India A successfully chase down a target of 175 with 26 overs remaining. He provided a rapid start to the innings, with the team surpassing the 70-run mark by the 8th over.

On the verge of reaching a fifty, Suryavanshi was dismissed while attempting another big hit, caught by Tazeem Chaudry Ali off Ralphie Albert, just two runs shy of the milestone. His innings featured five sixes and three fours, boasting a remarkable strike rate of 252.63. At the time of his departure, India was at 71/1.

VAIBHAV SURYAVANSHI MADNESS..!! 

- Smashed 48 runs in just 19 balls.
- With 3 fours and 5 sixes. pic.twitter.com/HOKgnYGd4m

— Sports Culture (@SportsCulture24) June 27, 2025

Although India lost a few quick wickets during the middle overs, the solid foundation laid by Vaibhav, along with a composed unbeaten 45 from Abhigyan Kundu, ensured India crossed the finish line in just 24 overs.

Earlier in the match, England's captain Thomas Rew won the toss and chose to bat at the County Ground in Brighton. Rocky Flintoff, the son of England cricketing great Andrew Flintoff, was the top scorer for England, making a steady 56 off 90 balls, while Isaac Mohammed contributed a brisk 42 off 28 deliveries.

Kanishk Chouhan stood out as the leading bowler for India U19, claiming 3 wickets for 20 runs, while Mohamed Enaan, Henil Patel, and RS Ambrish each took two wickets. England was bowled out for 174 in 42.2 overs.

With this victory, India U19 now leads the three-match series 1-0. The second and third matches are scheduled for June 30 and July 2 in Northampton, followed by the fourth and fifth One-Day matches on July 5 and 7 in Worcester.

After the white-ball series, the team will engage in two multi-day matches, with the first set to occur from July 12 to 15 in Beckenham, and the second from July 20 to 23 in Chelmsford.

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