New Delhi: India’s young batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi took the stage again on Thursday – not just for rewriting cricket history, but also for the heartfelt celebration that followed his 100-year-old record.The 15-year-old performed brilliantly against Zimbabwe in the first T20 in Harare, smashing 50 off just 18 balls to become the youngest player to score a fifty in men’s international cricket.A short time later, Sooryavanshi entered his famous ‘A’ celebration, making the letter with his fingers before admitting to the dressing room. The trend, which went viral during IPL 2026, has now become synonymous with young openers.The left-hander’s scintillating knock included four boundaries and a six, giving India a good start to chase 126 after Zimbabwe were 125/7.SEE:
The emotional story behind the insect festival
Although the festival created a lot of interest in the IPL, Sooryavanshi initially played down its importance, stressing that he was only happy to try different festivals after achieving big milestones.“I don’t know. I just do something new every match. I don’t really prepare. There is no meaning behind it,” he said after one of his IPL knocks.However, the real meaning later appeared behind the scenes Rajasthan Royals movie.Speaking to team manager Romi Bhinder, the youngster finally revealed that ‘A’ is a tribute to his mother, Aarti.“This festival is for my mother. Her name starts with the letter ‘A’,” revealed Sooryavanshi.Since then, the festival has become his trademark, and Thursday’s tribute was especially important when he entered the record books.
The world record in just 15 years is 118 days
At 15 years and 118 days, Sooryavanshi surpassed Nepal’s Kushal Malla, who held the record at 15 years and 340 days.The Indian opener also beat the biggest names in cricket in the all-time series. Sachin Tendulkar scored his maiden international fifty at the age of 16 years and 213 days in a Test against Pakistan in 1989, while Shahid Afridi reached the milestone at the age of 16 years and 214 days in an ODI against Sri Lanka in 1996.The innings also made Sooryavanshi the youngest player to register 50-plus wickets in men’s T20Is, effectively surpassing Gibraltar’s Louis Bruce, who held the previous T20I record.Already one of the biggest stories of IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi has now carried the brand’s image across the globe.