Harvansh Pangalia, son of a truck driver, smashes century for India U19 at No. 9

Harvansh Singh Pangalia, son of a truck driver, played a blistering 103-run knock off just 52 deliveries in India U-19's tour match against Young Lions Invitational XI at the Hazelgrave Ground in Loughborough.     

The 18-year-old came in to bat at No. 9 after the fall of Rahul Kumar (73 off 60) on the third ball of the 36th over of the innings. India U19 were 251/7 at that point. Playing out the entire 50 overs seemed to be far from expected, however, the duo of Pangalia and RS Ambrish stitched a 126-run stand for the eighth wicket before the latter departed.

At the time Ambrish headed back to the pavilion, Pangalia was on 47 off 33 balls. He got to his half-century on the next ball with a boundary. The wicketkeeper-batter ended the innings with three back-to-back sixes off Manny Lumsden, who ended with figures of 4 for 101 in 10 overs.

The late surge proved to be extremely vital for his side as India U19 ended the innings on a spectacular 442/9. Pangalia's innings comprised 17 boundaries (eight fours and nine sixes). The youngster, who also represents Saurashta U19, smashed 117 against Australia U19 in October 2024. He was also a part of the national squad for the Asian Cricket Council Under-19s Asia Cup in November-December 2024. 

The budding talent from Gandhidham, a town in Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch, lives alone in India as his family is settled in Canada. His father is a truck driver in Brampton. 

As for the match, the visitors emerged victorious by a whopping 231 runs as they bundled out the Invitational XI for 211 in 41.1 overs. Skipper Will Bennison was thesole standout performer for them. He registered 103 off 105 deliveries at the top of the order.