94 off 29 balls: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sets fastest List A 50 record but misses ton

Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added another milestone to his growing list of records on Sunday (June 21), smashing the fastest fifty in List A cricket history during the tri-series final between India A and Sri Lanka A in Dambulla.

The 15-year-old from Bihar reached the landmark in just 11 balls, breaking a 21-year-old record previously held by Sri Lanka’s Kaushalya Weeraratne, who had scored a 12-ball fifty in 2005.

Sooryavanshi finished his innings with a breathtaking 94 off just 29 balls, smashing 10 fours and eight sixes, narrowly missing what would have been a spectacular century.

Explosive batting

Sooryavanshi brought up the record in stunning fashion, hitting five sixes and five boundaries, with the milestone coming through back-to-back sixes straight down the ground off pacer Dulaj Samuditha.

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After a relatively quiet run through the league stage of the tournament, Sooryavanshi walked in with a clear attacking mindset and produced an explosive display of power hitting. His first 11 deliveries produced 50 runs, with his scoring sequence reading: 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 0, 6, 4, 4, 6, 6.

The young opener continued his assault and came close to breaking another record of the fastest List A century. However, his incredible knock ended in the ninth over when he was caught at mid-off by spinner Sahan Arachchige.

India A vs Sri Lanka A

India A eventually posted a massive total of 377/9 in the final. Sooryavanshi and Priyansh Arya gave India a flying start, adding 132 runs for the opening wicket, with Arya contributing 39.

Also read: IIM Indore to study Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after record-breaking IPL 2026

Captain Tilak Varma then steadied the innings with a composed 67 off 90 balls, while late cameos from Anukul Roy (39 off 15 balls) and Vipraj Nigam (27 off 20 balls) pushed India beyond the 350-run mark after Sri Lanka managed to pull things back in the middle overs.

Super Over altercation

The record-breaking knock also came days after an on-field controversy involving Sooryavanshi during the previous match against Sri Lanka A.

In the earlier Super Over finish, Sri Lanka A defeated India A after Sooryavanshi failed to connect with a yorker from pacer Kugathas Mathulan. As he walked back disappointed, Sri Lanka player Vishen Halambage allegedly exchanged words with him. Reports suggested Halambage taunted the teenager with comments referring to the IPL.

The argument escalated, with Sooryavanshi returning towards the opposition player and a heated exchange taking place before officials intervened.

The teenager’s records

Sooryavanshi has rapidly emerged as one of Indian cricket’s most exciting young talents. He broke Sachin Tendulkar’s 36-year-old record to become the youngest male cricketer selected for India’s senior squad.

Also read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 10-year-old brother Aashirwad smashes 103

His performances in domestic cricket, the IPL and youth cricket have already produced several records.

During the 2025 IPL season, he became the youngest player to score a century in men’s T20 cricket and IPL history when he smashed a hundred against Gujarat Titans at the age of 14.

In the 2026 IPL season, playing for Rajasthan Royals, he set another record by hitting 72 sixes, the most by any batter in a single IPL season, surpassing Chris Gayle’s previous mark of 59 sixes. He also became the youngest player to win the Orange Cap after finishing the season as the leading run-scorer with 776 runs.

Before his List A fifty record, Sooryavanshi had already created history in the Vijay Hazare Trophy by becoming the youngest player to score a List A century. He scored 190 runs off 84 balls for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh at the age of 14 years and 272 days, breaking Pakistan’s Zahoor Elahi’s 1986 record.