Sports

Suryavanshi produces the fireworks as India Under-19s rout England

Published

1 year ago

2025/06/28

Priyan

Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 48 off 19 balls [Cricinfo]

India’s 14-year-old sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 48 from just 19 balls as India’s Under-19 side made short work of beating England in the first of five Youth ODIs at Hove.

Suryavanshi, who became the youngest-ever century maker in men’s T20 when he hit 101 off 38 balls for Rahajasthan Royals in the IPL earlier this year, made a startling debut to competitive cricket in England, putting on 71 in 7.3 overs with his captain, Ayush Mhatre as England were overwhelmed, losing by six wickets with 26 overs to spare.

The young India side have made a memorable start to their tour of England. Three days earlier they had won another 50-over game, against a Young Lions Invitational XI at Loughborough, by 231 runs.

Here, Suryavanshi was the star attraction, bludgeoning five sixes and three fours. Jack Home’s first over cost 21 runs as the left-hander top-edged his pull shot for six before driving over mid-on and pulling to cow corner for other sixes. But when slow left-armer Ralphie Albert came on Suryavanshi immediately skied to point.

It was a different game after that, with India losing three more wickets before crossing the line, keeper Abhigyan Kundu leading the way with an unbeaten 45.

England had been bowled out for a disappointing 174 in 42.2 overs, with only Rocky Flintoff (56) and Issac Mohammed (42) reaching the 20 mark.

There was a constant cloud cover and a green tinge to the pitch but it was India’s spinners, Mohamed Enaan and Kanishk Chouhan, who caused most problems, sharing five wickets and proving the most economical of the bowlers.

England, who had chosen to bat, had started so positively, with Ben Dawkins and Isaac putting on an aggressive 39 for the fist wicket. The left-handed Isaac, one of two debutants in the team, along with French, was particularly exciting, pulling Henil Patel over square-leg for the first of his four sixes – there were also three fours in his 28-ball innings.

The 17-year-old is related to England’s Moeen Ali and Worcestershire’s assistant head coach Kadeer Ali. He signed a three-year contract for Worcestershire from the Warwickshire Academy earlier this month.

England lost their first wicket in the eighth over when Dawkins edged to first slip. But Isaac responded by striking Yudhajit Guha for successive sixes to bring up the 50 in the ninth over. Isaac then pulled Enaan over square-leg and out of the ground for another six. But three balls later he was caught at backward square-leg going for another big hit.

Flintoff, the youngest player to score a century for the side, again looked in fine form. But his efforts were compromised by the constant fall of wickets at the other end. Ben Mayes looked in good touch when he drove through mid-on for four, but he was caught behind next ball to make it 80 for three and then captain Tom Rew was caught behind third ball.

Flintoff, unsure whether to stick or twist, waited for some decent company but it didn’t arrive. Joe Moores and Albert fell cheaply to the off-spin of Chouhan and then Home was run out for five to make it 129 for seven. Flintoff was finally forced to hit out, and there were three sixes and three fours in his 90-ball innings before he was last out, going for another heave.

Brief scores:
India U19 178 for 4 in 24 overs (Ayush Mhatre 21, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 48, Abhigyan Kundu 45*; AM French 2-45) beat England U19 174 in 42.2 overs (Rocky Flintoff 56, Issac Mohammed 42; Kanishk Chouhan 3-20, Mohamed Ennan 2-37, RS Ambrish 2-24, Henil Patel 2-41) by six wickets

[Cricinfo]

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Sports

Shaheen Shah Afridi granted NOC to play for Kandy Royals in LPL

Published

3 hours ago

2026/07/15

Sahan Weerasooriya

Shaheen Shah Afridi has been granted an NOC to participate in LPL

Shaheen Shah Afridi is set to make his maiden appearance in the Lanka Premier League, which begins this week. The PCB confirmed to Cricinfo that the fast bowler has been granted an NOC to participate in the tournament. He will play for Kandy Royals.

Afridi – earlier this month – was omitted from Pakistan’s squads for the Tests against West Indies and England after an indifferent run in the format. The 26-year-old has of late been perceived as more inclined towards white-ball cricket, with Aaqib Javed, Pakistan selector and high-performance director, saying earlier this month that “a player has to pick which format he wants to play”. The Tests against the West Indies clash with the LPL.

Afridi was recently named in the ongoing white-ball camp at the National Cricket Academy, despite the red-ball camp being conducted simultaneously and was left out of the second Test against Bangladesh in Sylhet.

Afridi was named Pakistan’s ODI captain last year and led Pakistan to a 2-1 series win over Australia at home last month. He was joint-leading wicket-taker with seven scalps at 12.14 runs apiece alongside left-arm orthodox Arafat Minhas, who debuted in the first of the three ODIs, and Nathan Ellis.

This will be Afridi’s second appearance in an overseas T20 league in the last year. He participated in the most recent BBL, turning out for Brisbane Heat. He had a forgettable run, however, taking only two wickets at an average of 76.50 in four matches. However, he remains in demand on the T20 circuit; Afridi has 362 wickets at 20.99 and an economy rate of 7.97. No Pakistan bowler has more than his 136 wickets in T20Is, which have come at an average of 21.35 and an economy of 7.83.

The LPL will run from July 17 until August 8. Kandy Royals play their first match against Dambulla Sixers on July 18.

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Thishya and Kashya win Under-12 singles titles

Published

3 hours ago

2026/07/15

Sahan Weerasooriya

Kashya Seneviratne / Thishya Banagala (Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi)

Colombo Championships

Thishya Banagala of Visakha Vidyalaya and Kashya Seneviratne of Colombo International School emerged as the girls’ and boys’ Under-12 champions respectively at the Vision Care Colombo Championship 2026, played on the clay courts of the Sri Lanka Tennis Association.

‎Banagala produced a series of commanding performances on her way to the girls’ title. She sealed the championship with a convincing 6-2, 6-1 victory over Thiyansa de Silva in the final.

‎The boys’ final provided a far sterner challenge as Kashya Seneviratne overcame Abhine Induwara in an entertaining three-set battle. After taking the opening set 6-2, Seneviratne dropped the second set 4-6 before holding his nerve to win the deciding match tie-break 10-4 and secure the championship.‎

Sports

Wins for Sampath Bank and Ceylinco General Insurance last weekend

Published

3 hours ago

2026/07/15

Sahan Weerasooriya

HONOUR – MCA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2026

Sampath Bank and Ceylinco General Insurance registered convincing wins in the Mercantile Cricket Associations Champions League matches played over the weekend.

‘The 2026 edition of the MCA Champions League [formally known as the MCA ‘C’ League] is being powered by ‘HONOUR’ mobile phones.

Last week’s matches were played at the Mercantile Association Grounds

On Saturday,

Sampath Bank defeat LOLC Holdings by 64 runs

Sampath Bank

173/10 in 48 overs [Sajith Kotuwegoda 66; Thilanga Udeshana 2-40, Vinud Madushan 3-26, Sayuru Udukumbura 2-27]

LOLC Holdings

109/10 in 26 overs [Danushka Udara 26*; Dulaj Ashen 2-14, Dileepa Jayalath 2-37, Sithija Silva 2-12, Chamath Dilsara 3-29]

On Sunday,

Ceylinco General Insurance overcome Commercial Bank by 2 wickets

Commercial Bank

167/10 in 47.2 overs [Gimhana Ashirwada 60; Sandaru Dias 4-21, Yohan Edirisinghe 2-24]