Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has etched his name into the history books as he smashed his maiden T20I half-century during the first T20I against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday, July 23. Sooryavanshi, who had an underwhelming start to his International career, made the most of the fourth opportunity he got in Indian colours with a stellar fifty in Harare.ย
The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi created a huge record as he became the youngest-ever batter to hit an international fifty.ย At 15y and 118d, Sooryavanshi shattered the previous record of Nepal’s Kushal Malla, who was 15y and 340d old when he hit a fifty during an ODI against USA in 2020.
Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi also broke the India record of Sachin Tendulkar with his stroke-filled fifty. Tendulkar was the youngest half-centurion from India when he was 16y and 213 days old after smashing a fifty during the Faisalabad Test against Pakistan.
Youngest T20I half-centurion too
Sooryavanshi is also the youngest to score a T20I fifty. The previous record was held by Gibraltar’s Louis Bruce, who was 16y and 56d old when he smashed a fifty against Malta in 2021. Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz wasย 17y 296d when he smashed a fifty against Zimbabwe in 2019.
Youngest at the time of maiden T20I fifty:
15y 118d – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (IND) vs ZIM, Harare, 2026
16y 56d – Louis Bruce (Gibraltar) vs Malta, Albergaria, 2021
16y 76d – Kavin Chaddha (Indonesia) vs Sweden, Bali, 2026
16y 89d – Alusine Turay (Sierra Leone) vs Ghana, Benoni, 2023
16y 118d – Tenjin Rabgey (Bhutan) vs China, Kuala Lumpur, 2023
India restrict Zimbabwe to 125
The Indian bowlers did well to restrict Zimbabwe to 125/7. Making his comeback after 2024, Mayank Yadav scalped two wickets for 18 in his four overs, while Prince Yadav also took two for 19 as the Indian pacers kept a stranglehold on the Chevrons. Shivam Dube and Ravi Bishnoi took a wicket each. Meanwhile,ย Wessly Madhevere was the leading run-scorer for the hosts, having made 39 from 34 balls, whileย Tadiwanashe Marumani scored an unbeaten 27 from 20 deliveries to give the final push.ย
Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani(w), Ben Curran, Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza(c), Ryan Burl, Wessly Madhevere, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani
India (Playing XI): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav
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