New Delhi, Dec 26: Bihar began their Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign in emphatic fashion with a record-breaking victory over Arunachal Pradesh, but teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi will miss Friday’s Group match against Manipur after travelling to New Delhi to attend the Prime Minister’s National Children’s Award ceremony.
Bihar, who opted to bat first against Manipur, will be without the 14-year-old left-hander, whose exploits have dominated headlines in recent days. Suryavanshi starred in Bihar’s opening match against Arunachal Pradesh, smashing a breathtaking 190 off just 84 balls, laced with 16 fours and 15 sixes. His knock, followed by blistering centuries from Sakibul Gani and Ayush Loharuka, propelled Bihar to a world record total of 574 for 6 in 50 overs. Arunachal Pradesh were subsequently bowled out for 177, as Bihar sealed a massive 397-run win.
However, Suryavanshi will not feature further in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. His childhood coach, Manish Ojha, confirmed that the youngster has already left for Delhi to attend the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
“Vaibhav won’t play today’s match because he is in Delhi to attend the Prime Minister’s National Children’s Award ceremony. He had to report early in the morning for the event,” Ojha told “He will miss the remainder of the Vijay Hazare Trophy as he needs to prepare for the Under-19 World Cup and will link up with the rest of the Indian team for preparatory matches.”
The PMRBP is India’s highest civilian honour for children aged between 5 and 18 years, awarded annually for exceptional achievements in fields including sports, bravery, innovation, and social service. President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to confer the awards, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also interact with the awardees.
Following the ceremony, Suryavanshi is expected to join the India Under-19 squad and travel to Zimbabwe ahead of the ICC Under-19 World Cup, which begins on January 15.
Suryavanshi’s 190 against Arunachal Pradesh was historic on multiple counts. He brought up his century in just 36 balls, becoming the youngest centurion in List A cricket. His knock also eclipsed AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest 150 in List A cricket by 10 deliveries, while his tally of 15 sixes is the most by an Indian in the format.
Earlier, the southpaw featured in the Under-19 Asia Cup, where he struck 171 against the UAE in the opening match but struggled for consistency thereafter as India finished runners-up, losing to Pakistan in the final.
Suryavanshi had already become a household name earlier this year following his exploits in the Indian Premier League for Rajasthan Royals, where he smashed the fastest century by an Indian, reaching the milestone in just 35 balls against Gujarat Titans.
With Suryavanshi unavailable, Bihar will look to their experienced middle order to maintain momentum against Manipur as their Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign continues.
