U-19 Sensations Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s Instagram Live Goes Viral After World Cup Win

Ayush Mhatre joins Mohammad Kaif, Virat Kohli, Unmukt Chand, Prithvi Shaw, and Yash Dhull as the 6th captain to lead India to an U-19 WC title.

U-19 Sensations Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s Instagram Live Goes Viral After World Cup Win

Ayush Mhatre credited Vaibhav Suryavanshi for India's U-19 World Cup triumph. (via X)

Indian U-19 stars Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi showcased their strong camaraderie by going live on Instagram to celebrate the Boys in Blues’ victory in the 2026 U-19 World Cup final. Mhatre credited the unstoppable Suryavanshi, who scored 175 runs, for the win.

It was a record-breaking afternoon for the Indian U-19 side at the Harare Sports Club, as they defeated England by 100 runs to win the WC title for the sixth time. Batting first, India raced to a massive total of 411/9, primarily guided by Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s 175-run knock off just 80 balls, and contributions from captain Ayush Mhatre (53 off 51) and Abhigyan Kundu (40 off 31). The 14-year-old destroyed the English bowling attack, hitting an astonishing 15 four and 15 sixes. 

Suryavanshi’s explosive innings, at a strike-rate of 218.75, also broke its way past a plethora of records, including the highest individual score in a knockout game in Youth ODI competitions. England managed to get to a fighting total of 311 runs during the chase, before being bowled out in the 41st over. The Three Lions’ saw contributions coming from centurion Caleb Falconer (115 off 67) and Ben Dawkins (66 of 56).

After receiving the trophy, celebrations unfolded in the Indian dressing room, with Suryavanshi then going live on Instagram to capture the players’ emotions and the pandemonium. The 14-year-old opener then went up to Ayush Mhatre, who was busy on his phone, and asked him a question about how he felt leading India to a record sixth U-19 World Cup title. To this, Mhatre straightaway stated that the win was all a result of Suryavanshi’s majestic efforts

The two young stars then shared a warm and emotional hug, with the 18-year-old Indian U-19 captain being praised by fans for showing maturity and selflessness beyond his age. At the post-match ceremony, Mhatre had even stated that Suryavanshi’s Player of the Match performance carried forward the legacy of both Indian men’s team icon Rohit Sharma and women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Mhatre said on an Insta live:

Jo bhi hai Vaibhav ki wajah se hai [All of it is because of Vaibhav Suryavanshi].

Ayush Mhatre himself overcame a poor start in the tournament to score fifties in the semi-final and the final. He finished the 2026 Under-19 World Cup with an overall tally of 214 runs in seven innings at an average of 30.57, alongside seven wickets in bowling. 

BCCI Announces Cash Prizes for U-19 World Cup Heroes Ayush Mhatre, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and Team

Team India lifted the U-19 World Cup trophy for the sixth time, an achievement that is expected to pave the way for future generations to take up the sport. To reward Ayush Mhatre, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and others, the BCCI has announced a substantial cash prize for the team.

Ayush Mhatre Vaibhav Suryavanshi BCCI cash prize
Ayush Mhatre, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and the Indian U-19 team will be rewarded by the BCCI. (via NDTV Sports)

India U-19 defeated England U-19 by a margin of 100 runs in the final, producing a stunning performance in what turned out to be a high-scoring clash. Fans were left in awe, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi among those surprised. He congratulated the U-19 team for its stupendous showing, noting that the players showed exceptional skill by winning each and every game throughout the tournament. 

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia also commended the young Indian side, while announcing a massive INR 7.5 crore cash prize for the team. It will be equally divided among the players and the team management. Head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar, bowling coach Sunil Joshi and fielding coach Munish Bali will also be rewarded for the team’s success. Saikia also lauded the Junior Cricket Committee for the win.

The cash prize aligns with the BCCI’s policy of rewarding Indian teams for significant victories, following the INR 51 crores distributed to the Women’s World Cup winners last year. However, they still trail the INR 125 crores awarded to the Indian Men’s T20I team after their 2024 World Cup triumph.

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