Sooryavanshi blitz leads India to historic sixth U-19 World Cup win
Harare (PTI): Batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi lit up the grand stage with a jaw-dropping 175 to power India to a record-extending sixth ICC Under-19 World Cup title with a 100-run victory over England in the final here on Friday.
The triumph adds to India's previous titles in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018 and 2022, underlining their dominance in the tournament's history.
The 14-year-old Sooryavanshi blazed his way to a stunning 175 off just 80 balls, recording the fastest 150 in Under-19 cricket history, reaching the milestone in 71 deliveries, as India piled up a daunting 411 for 9 after electing to bat.
In response, England kept the required run rate within sight for large parts of the chase but lost wickets at regular intervals, which steadily derailed their pursuit.
They were eventually bowled out for 311 with Caleb Falconer scoring a 66-ball 115.
Sooryavanshi, who shot into the limelight during last year's Indian Premier League, smashed 15 sixes and an equal number of boundaries, registering the highest individual score by any batter in an ICC tournament final.
Brief Scores:
India 411/9 in 50 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 175, Ayush Mahatre 53; James Minto 3/63, Sebastian Morgan 2/74).
England 311 all out in 40.2 overs (Caleb Falconer 115, Ben Dawkins 66; RS Ambrish 3/56, Deepesh Devendran 2/64)
📸 📸
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 6, 2026
Moments they will never forget! 🙌
Let the celebrations begin 🇮🇳#U19WorldCup pic.twitter.com/wGpdChSbWW
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Women BJP MLAs protest against opposition in UP assembly premises
Lucknow (PTI): Women BJP MLAs held a protest in the Vidhan Bhawan complex before the one-day special session of Uttar Pradesh assembly, slamming the opposition for defeating the passage of a bill, which would have led to implementation of the Women's Reservation Law, in the Lok Sabha.
This followed another demonstration by Samajwadi Party MLAs, who alleged that the BJP was misleading public in the name of women's reservation.
The women BJP legislators assembled in front of Chaudhary Charan Singh's statue in the assembly premises, holding banners inscribed with the slogan "Insult to Matrushakti (women's power), India will not tolerate it". The protesting members entered the main hall of Vidhan Bhawan carrying the banners.
Participating in the protest, the state Minister for Women Welfare and Child Development, Baby Rani Maurya, told reporters that all opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, had opposed the women's reservation, a stance for which they would have to pay a heavy political price.
"On this issue, all of us women stand united. We will ensure that we secure our reservation," she said.
BJP MLA Ketki Singh remarked that their protest represents the collective outrage of millions of women across the state.
Singh asserted that the opposition has betrayed women by creating hurdles in the path of women's reservation. The current demonstration is merely the beginning, and very soon, women from every street, intersection and household will join the protest movement, she said.
Minister Vijaylakshmi Gautam said, "We strongly condemn the despicable act committed by the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in an attempt to hold back 'half the population' (women). Their action was directed against the very bill that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced to empower and strengthen Nari Shakti (women's power), and which he strived to pass expeditiously."
Uttar Pradesh assembly is holding a one-day special session on Thursday. During the session, the government is set to move a censure motion against the opposition parties over their failure to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill, which would have led to implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, in the Lok Sabha.
