Loughborough, England: In a stunning display of power-hitting, Harvansh Singh, the son of a truck driver, smashed a sensational century for the India U19 team in a 50-over warm-up contest against an English Invitational XI at Loughborough. Coming in at a precarious No. 9, Singh unleashed a flurry of boundaries, including nine massive sixes, to tear apart the English bowlers and propel India to a commanding total.
Early Struggles for India U19
The warm-up match, held ahead of India U19’s official tour of England, saw the young Indian side stumble early on. Despite the presence of IPL stars like Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi at the top, India found themselves in deep trouble at 91/5 in the 13th over. A resilient partnership between Kanishk Chouhan (79) and Rahul Kumar (73) then steadied the innings, adding 140 runs and bringing some stability to the scoreboard.
Harvansh Singh’s Arrival and Devastating Onslaught
When Harvansh Singh Pangalia walked to the crease at No. 9, with India at 251/7 in the 36th over, few would have predicted the fireworks that were about to unfold. Initially settling in, he then combined with RS Ambrish (72 off 47 balls) for a crucial 126-run stand. However, it was after Ambrish’s dismissal that Singh truly unleashed his attacking prowess.
At 47 off 33 balls, Singh reached his fifty with a boundary on the very next delivery. The real acceleration came in the final three overs of the innings. He started the 48th over with back-to-back sixes off Manny Lumsden, who also bowled consecutive no-balls under pressure. He followed up with another six off Matthew Firbank in the next over. The final over saw Singh put the finishing touches on his innings with a four and three consecutive sixes off Lumsden, the last of which brought up his blistering century in just 52 balls. His second fifty, remarkably, came off an astonishing 18 deliveries.
Nine Sixes and a Mammoth Total
Singh’s incredible unbeaten knock of 103 runs was studded with nine towering sixes, predominantly targeting the leg-side boundary. His explosive innings propelled India U19 to a formidable total of 442/9, ultimately leading to a massive 231-run victory over the Invitational XI.
A Story of Determination and Humble Roots
Harvansh Singh Pangalia’s inspiring journey is a testament to his dedication and hard work. Hailing from Gandhidham, a small town in Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch, his family is currently settled in Canada, where his father works as a truck driver in Brampton. Despite the family’s relocation, Harvansh chose to stay in India to pursue his cricketing dreams, a decision that has now borne fruit on the international stage.
