India U-19 Star Harvansh Singh Blasts Record-Breaking Century, Sparks 'Next Rishabh Pant' Comparisons

Harvansh Singh Smashes Century Off 52 Balls: Is He the Next Rishabh Pant?

India U-19 wicketkeeper-batter Harvansh Singh Pangalia delivered a stunning performance on Tuesday, scoring a blistering century in a warm-up match against England U-19.

Harvansh Singh with his father. (Image: Special Arrangement)

Coming to the crease at 251/7 in the 36th over, Harvansh Singh Pangalia partnered with RS Ambrish, forging a crucial 126-run stand. Ambrish contributed a fluent 72 off 47 balls before his dismissal. During this partnership, Pangalia had already reached 47 off 33 balls and swiftly reached his half-century with a boundary on the subsequent delivery.

In the final three overs, Pangalia unleashed a phenomenal assault. He began the 48th over with consecutive sixes off Manny Lumsden, who then bowled two no-balls in a row. The following over saw another six off Matthew Firbank, but the real fireworks were reserved for the last over. Pangalia hammered Lumsden for a four, followed by three massive sixes, with the final one securing his magnificent century in just 52 balls. His second fifty was particularly rapid, coming in a mere 18 deliveries.

By the innings' end, India had amassed a formidable 442/9. Pangalia remained unbeaten, having struck nine sixes. The young wicketkeeper-batter, who represents Saurashtra's youth team, had previously impressed with an aggressive 117 against Australia in a Youth Test last October, where he hit seven boundaries and six sixes.

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Who is Harvansh Singh?

India U-19 wicketkeeper-batter Harvansh Singh comes from Gandhidham, a small town in Gujarat's Rann of Kutch. He was inspired by his father, Damandeep Singh, and uncle, Kunwarajeet Singh, both of whom played cricket and were wicketkeepers in their town. Currently, Harvansh's family resides in Canada, where his father works as a truck driver in Brampton. Harvansh resides in Gandhidham with his mother and has vowed to his father that he will bring them back to India one day.

Damandeep never imagined that a video of Yuvraj Singh's six sixes would ignite such a passion for the game in his son, leading him to commit to representing his country.

"Even Rajkot is 200 km away from our city. It was only in 2012 when the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) opened an academy in our town. I enrolled Harvansh in it when he was six. He picked up keeping from me, as I used to don the gloves as well. But he turned southpaw because of Yuvraj Singh. He's a massive Yuvraj fan and hasn't even seen peak Yuvraj, but he was obsessed with the video of him hitting six sixes off Stuart Broad," Damandeep shared in an interview with TimesofIndia.com.