Suryavanshi scores joint-third fastest men's T20 century by an Indian

Teen sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi continued to smash records as he blazed 144 off just 42 deliveries in India A's opening game in the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 against UAE. His century, coming off just 32 balls, was the joint-third fastest by an Indian in men's T20s. Urvil Patel for Gujarat and Abhishek Sharma for Punjab scored centuries off 28 balls in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, while Rishabh Pant had also scored a century off 32 balls for Delhi in 2018. Overall, Suryavanshi's century is the joint-sixth fastest in men's T20s.

His 144 was also the fourth-highest by an Indian in the format.

Suryavanshi, at 14 years and 232 days, also became the youngest man to score a hundred for a national representative team at senior level. It was a record previously held by Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim, who was 16 years and 171 days old when he scored 111* for Bangladesh A against Zimbabwe A in a first-class match in 2005.

Suryavanshi was dropped first ball but made full use of his second life, hammering 11 fours and 15 sixes in his knock before getting out in the 13th over. He finished with a strike rate of 342.85, the fourth highest for a score of 100 or more in men's T20s.

This was Suryavanshi's second T20 century, following his 35-ball effort for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025. He is the youngest man to score a hundred in T20s. He had become the second-fastest centurion in IPL history, only behind Chris Gayle, who had taken 30 deliveries for his ton against Pune Warriors in 2011.

"It was just my natural game and it's the T20 format so I wanted to back my own game," Suryavanshi said after his knock. "I was dropped first ball but I just thought I didn't want to change my intent because we needed a big score on this ground. The wicket was good and the boundary was small. So I was trying to back my shots."

He credited his father for helping him stay focused during games. "Because of how he was strict with me since childhood. Earlier, I used to think why is he being so strict. But now I understand that the benefit of those things can be seen on the ground, that he didn't let me get distracted and kept me focused on cricket and made sure that I keep working hard," Suryavanshi said. "So I will say that whatever I have, it is thanks to my father."

He also played down talk of feeling pressure, despite drawing attention at a young age. "There is no pressure. Because the fans have come to support," he said. "And after going to the ground, the field outside the ground doesn't come to mind. Then my focus is on playing the ball."

India A raced to 297 for 4, the joint fifth-highest team total in men's T20s, with captain Jitesh Sharma applying the finishing touches with an unbeaten 83 off 32 balls. That total proved 148 too many as UAE were restricted to 149 for 7, with left-arm quick Gurjapneet Singh picking up 3 for 18 in four overs.