India Under-19 rode on a breathtaking century from Vaibhav Suryavanshi to seize complete control of the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 final against England at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday.

Suryavanshi’s extraordinary innings came to an end in the 26th over, when he was dismissed for 175 off just 80 balls. As he walked back to the pavilion, the England players applauded the teenager, acknowledging one of the most remarkable knocks in the tournament’s history.

The right-hander’s innings was studded with 15 fours and 15 sixes, showcasing fearless strokeplay on the biggest stage. His knock has put India firmly on track to post a total well in excess of 400.

Fastest century in a U19 World Cup final

Suryavanshi reached his century in just 55 balls, setting a new record for the fastest hundred in a U19 World Cup final. He later became the first batter ever to score 150 or more runs in the summit clash, reaching the milestone in only 71 deliveries.

The 14-year-old also finished the innings as the highest run-scorer of the tournament, surpassing the previous record held by Afghanistan’s Faisal Shinwari.

At the time of his dismissal, India were cruising at 251 for three in 25.3 overs, with the scoring rate soaring above nine runs per over.

Strong support from the middle order

Before Suryavanshi’s dismissal, India captain Ayush Mhatre also played a key role with a fluent half-century, ensuring there was no let-up in momentum. England struggled to contain the Indian batters as boundaries flowed freely across the ground.

With wickets in hand and plenty of overs remaining, India remain well placed to post a record total in the final.

The match is currently in progress.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reaffirmed his government’s decision to boycott the country’s T20 World Cup match against India, stating that Islamabad has taken a “clear stand” on the issue.

Addressing the federal cabinet in Islamabad, Sharif said Pakistan would not take the field against India for the scheduled February 15 match in Sri Lanka. He added that the decision was made after careful assessment and described it as an appropriate step.

“There should be no politics in sports,” the prime minister said, adding that the stance was final after due deliberation.

ICC flags issue of selective participation

Pakistan’s position follows an earlier statement by the government, shared on social media, indicating that the national team would not play the group-stage match against India. No specific reason was cited in that post.

Reacting to the development, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said selective participation goes against the core principles of global sporting events. In a statement, the ICC noted the Government of Pakistan’s position and said it was awaiting official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The ICC said tournaments are built on fairness, consistency, and sporting integrity, and selective participation undermines the spirit of international competition. It added that while governments have their own policy considerations, such decisions are not in the interest of the global game or fans worldwide.

The governing body urged the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution that safeguards the interests of all stakeholders and ensures the successful conduct of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Bangladesh replacement and wider context

The issue comes amid recent developments involving other teams. The ICC had announced last month that Scotland would replace Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup after the Bangladesh Cricket Board refused to participate as per the published schedule.

The decision followed the ICC’s rejection of Bangladesh’s request to move its matches out of India, citing the absence of any credible or verifiable security threat. Scotland, currently ranked 14th in T20 Internationals, was named as the replacement being the highest-ranked team not originally qualified.

India-Pakistan rivalry record

Pakistan and India have faced each other eight times in ICC T20 World Cups, with India holding a dominant 7-1 record. In last year’s Asia Cup, India also defeated Pakistan in a series of matches, including the final.

The T20 World Cup 2026 will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. Pakistan have been placed in Group A alongside India, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Pakistan’s decision to boycott its group-stage match against India at the T20 World Cup 2026 has triggered a major controversy, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) warning of possible punitive action that could impact Pakistan’s participation in global cricket.

The Pakistan cricket team is set to take part in the tournament but will not take the field against India in the February 15 match scheduled in Colombo. The move was approved by the Pakistan government and announced publicly through a social media post, which confirmed participation in the event while excluding the India fixture.

Why Pakistan decided to boycott the India match

The decision follows the ICC’s removal of Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup 2026. Bangladesh had requested a venue change for their matches citing security concerns, but the request was turned down by the ICC, eventually leading to their exclusion from the tournament. Pakistan’s government cited this development while taking the call to skip the India game.

ICC responds with strong warning

Reacting to Pakistan’s stance, the ICC said selective participation undermines the integrity and fairness of global tournaments. In its official statement, the governing body stressed that ICC events are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness and consistency, adding that such decisions are not in the interest of the global game or fans, including those in Pakistan.

The ICC also clarified that it has not yet received any formal communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board regarding the boycott decision.

Sanctions Pakistan could face

According to developments surrounding the issue, Pakistan could face a range of consequences if the boycott is enforced. These may include financial penalties, a possible ban from the current or future ICC events, and resistance from top cricketing nations in scheduling bilateral series. There is also a risk that overseas players could be barred from participating in the Pakistan Super League if sanctions escalate.

The situation remains fluid as the ICC is expected to take a final call after official communication from Pakistan’s cricket board.