Suryavanshi shines the brightest in Doha desert as India A beats UAE in Asia Cup Rising Stars

Young opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashed a blistering joint-second-fastest T20 hundred by an Indian batter, propelling India A to a thumping 148-run win over United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Asia Cup Rising Stars here on Friday.

Suryavanshi (144, 42b, 11x4s, 15x6s) and skipper Jitesh Sharma (83, 32b, 8x4s, 6x6s) combined as India piled up a massive 297 for four in 20 overs.

UAE ended up at 149 for seven, with left-arm pacer Gurjapneet Singh (three for 18) leading India’s bowling effort.

UAE middle-order batter Shoaib Khan made a 41-ball 63 to offer a token of resistance.

But Suryvanshi was the brightest star in the desert night, bringing up his hundred in just 32 balls to equal Rishabh Pant’s mark made for Delhi against Himachal Pradesh in 2018.

The 14-year-old brought up his century with a well-timed four off pacer Muhammad Arfan in the 10th over.

Suryvanshi had a silent partner in Naman Dhir (34), and the second-wicket pair added 168 runs in a little over 10 overs as runs flowed in at 16 per over.

However, Suryavanshi could not overhaul compatriots Abhishek Sharma and Urvil Patel, the fastest Indian hundred-makers in T20S — off 28 balls. Suryavanshi batted in a single gear throughout his innings, and the UAE left-arm spinner Harshit Kaushik was at the receiving end of the Indian’s aggression.

Kaushik, who came to bowl in the 11th over, was punished for four sixes and a four as a total of 30 runs cascaded.

Suryavanshi was cruising at a strike rate of 348 at that time, and eventually he fell to off-spinner Mohammed Faraazuddin, skying a catch to Ahmed Tariq in the deep.

India was 195 for three in 12.3 overs then. His dismissal temporarily slowed down India, but Jitesh picked up quickly.

Jitesh reached his fifty in 24 balls with a six off Arfan, then waded into the pacer in the 19th over, smashing him for 6, 4, 4, 6 and 6 as 28 runs were plundered.

Chasing 298 never seemed in the capacity of UAE, which eventually finished second-best against a quality Indian attack with First-Class regulars.

Published on Nov 14, 2025