Some players carry a famous surname, and some carry it and still find a way to stand out on their own. Aryavir Sehwag, the son of former India opener Virender Sehwag, did exactly that today. In a match India could not afford to lose, he scored a big hundred against the UAE at the 2026 Under-19 Asia Cup.
Why this match mattered so much
This was India’s third and last group game, and the pressure was real. India and the UAE both had two points from two matches. India sat second in the table, ahead of the UAE only on net run rate. Pakistan had already booked their place after finishing on top of the group, so India and the UAE were fighting for the last spot in the next round. The winner would reach four points and move ahead.
How Aryavir Sehwag built up his innings
Aryavir opened the batting for India. The first wicket fell at 62, when captain Lakshay Raichandani went for 17. Reports say the wicket did not shake Aryavir. He took his time, studied the surface, and avoided forcing the pace early on.
That patience paid off. He reached his hundred off 131 balls. After that, he changed gears and started attacking the UAE bowlers. According to one report, he finished with 160 off 168 balls, including 17 fours and seven sixes. He was out in the 45th over, caught while going for a big shot off bowler Naseem Khan.
That means the last 60 runs or so came in a very short time, which is the kind of finish teams dream about in a must-win game.
How he got here
His tournament has been a mixed one, which makes today even better. He began with an unbeaten 70 against Nepal on November 6, and India won that game by 10 wickets. Against Pakistan, he scored only 22, and India lost by three wickets. So the big knock against the UAE feels like a strong answer to a quiet game.
Fans have also been quick to talk about the family link. Seeing another Sehwag in the spotlight naturally brings back memories of his father’s fearless style. But what stood out here was not just power. It was the mix of patience early on and aggression later.
A busy week in cricket
India’s senior team is also in the news. Before the first ODI against New Zealand, a close-up video of Virat Kohli singing the national anthem went viral, and fans loved the emotion in it.
There has also been plenty of talk about Anshul Kamboj after his record spell in that series. If you want to know about the man behind the numbers, our piece on the Anshul Kamboj family introduces his farmer father, mother, and brother.
And if you are already looking ahead, the next big domestic event is not far away. The WPL 2027 opener between RCB and MI on January 14 will start the new season.
What happens next?
At the time of writing, we do not have the final result of the India and UAE match in our sources. So the real question is whether Aryavir’s big score is enough to take India into the next round. A big total gives the bowlers a lot of room, but the UAE will not make it easy.
Either way, this innings has already done a lot for the young opener. A hundred in a must-win match, at the age of a youth player, is the kind of knock that stays on a CV. The cricket world will be watching to see what he does next.