In a remarkable display of skill, India secured a victory against Zimbabwe in the opening T20I of their three-match series held at the Harare Sports Club.
Following disappointing series losses to Ireland and England, the Indian team showcased a strong comeback. A standout performance came from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has faced challenges in meeting expectations since his debut. The young talent made headlines by achieving a historic milestone, breaking a significant world record.
Chasing a target of 126 runs, Sooryavanshi excelled with the bat, scoring 50 runs off just 19 balls, featuring 4 fours and 4 sixes. At the age of 15 years and 118 days, he became the youngest player to score a fifty in men’s international cricket, surpassing the previous record held by Nepal’s Kushal Malla, who scored a fifty at 15 years and 340 days against the USA in 2020. Among full member nations, Sooryavanshi also eclipsed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who achieved his first international fifty at 16 years and 213 days in a Test match against Pakistan.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Sets Record for Fastest T20I Century
With this impressive half-century, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became the youngest player in T20I history to achieve this milestone, breaking the record previously held by Gibraltar’s Louis Bruce, who scored a fifty against Malta in 2021 at 16 years and 56 days old.
| Player | Age | Team | Opponent | Venue | Year |
| Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | 15y 118d | India | Zimbabwe | Harare | 2026 |
| Louis Bruce | 16y 56d | Gibraltar | Malta | Albergaria | 2021 |
| Kavin Chaddha | 16y 76d | Indonesia | Sweden | Bali | 2026 |
| Alusine Turay | 16y 89d | Sierra Leone | Ghana | Benoni | 2023 |
| Tenjin Rabgey | 16y 118d | Bhutan | China | Kuala Lumpur | 2023 |
Before Sooryavanshi, the youngest player to score a fifty for a full member nation was Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who achieved this feat at 17 years and 96 days against Zimbabwe in 2019.