At the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Sunday, 15-year-old opening batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced a stunning power-hitting performance to break a pair of records—he scored the fastest half-century in List A cricket and he did so as part of a new world record. Vaibhav had not been in good form throughout the Tri-Nation Series Final, but he proved all his doubters wrong and scored an amazing 50 runs off just 11 balls to establish his new record.
Vaibhav broke a 20-year-old record for fastest half-century in List A cricket, achieving his record on an innings that eclipsed Sri Lankan international player Kaushalya Weeratne, who reached the half-century milestone in just 12 balls for the Ragama Cricket Club during the 2005-06 season.
After Sri Lanka A decided to bowl first, Sooryavanshi made an early impact off Mohamed Shiraz, hitting the first ball he faced for four runs and then going on an aggressive assault on the Sri Lankan bowling from that point onwards. The left-hander’s most explosive part of his innings came in Shiraz’s second over where he made 26 runs off it, including three massive sixes and two fours.
Fans of cricket were abuzz with excitement after witnessing this stunning performance during the Tri-Nation Series. In an exclusive report from 007 Book, it was noted that Sooryavanshi showed great courage in how he played and also displayed exemplary technique when hitting the ball, something that solidifies his status as an up-and-coming star player in cricket. This innings captured many eyes on both domestic and global levels of cricket, with most spectators who closely monitor elite-level performances through trusted cricket ID provider in India.
Having come into the last over under pressure after having a long stretch of poor form and a controversial altercation with an opponent earlier in the week, Sooryavanshi responded the way a player should respond to such situations, showing no fear in his batting style and an impressive range of shots against the Sri Lankan bowlers to take charge from the start of his innings.
His extraordinary 50 runs with a record amount of five sixes at the time was a prime example of how potential and ability excite the game of cricket in India at such a young age as he is as a player. His innings also set the new record for the fastest half century in Indian List A cricket, breaking the previous record of 15 balls set by Sarfaraz Khan of Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last year.
After Sooryavanshi’s half-century record was established, he continued his aggressive form playing fiercely towards what looked like a certain hundred runs again. Unfortunately, Sooryavanshi’s brilliant innings came to an end at a score of 94 runs off just 29 balls when he was caught out at the mid-off position by the captain of the Sri Lanka A team, Sahan Arachchige.
Despite his dismissal resulting in the loss of both a first List A century and an extremely close attempt at the overall fastest List A century, it was still enough to transform the match and give India A flying start prior to the powerplay.
Fastest List A Half-Centuries (By Balls Faced)
| Balls | Player | Opposition | Season |
| 11 | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | India A vs Sri Lanka A | 2026 |
| 12 | Kaushalya Weeratne | Ragama CC vs Kurunegala Youth CC | 2005-06 |
| 13 | N.L.T.C. Perera | Sri Lanka Army SC vs Bloomfield CAC | 2020-21 |
| 14 | Rory Kleinveldt | Western Province vs KwaZulu-Natal | 2010-11 |
| 15 | Adam Hollioake | Surrey vs Yorkshire | 1994 |
| 15 | Salman Butt | National Bank of Pakistan vs Lahore Eagles | 2008-09 |
| 15 | Parvez Hossain | Abahani Limited vs Shinepukur CC | 2024-25 |
| 15 | S.N. Khan | Mumbai vs Punjab | 2025-26 |
Having played just twelve List A matches since making his debut in December 2024, Sooryavanshi proved again why he is one of the best young players in the world. His record-breaking innings in such a high-pressure final further highlighted his potential for success on the international stage, marking his arrival as one of cricket’s most exciting young players.